Fifteen years ago my husband, our oldest son and I moved to Wooster when I accepted a position teaching Biology at The College of Wooster. From the very first drive into Wayne County, I was struck by the beauty and abundance of the farmland passing by. There is something incredibly special about living in community with the people who provide sustenance for your family.

Over the course of that first year, I was continually impressed by how welcoming people were. Whether at our son’s baseball games, school events or the farmer’s market, people always said hello and took the time to get to know us. That friendliness has grown into inspiration as I’ve witnessed the strength of camaraderie in our communities. Time and time again, I have seen our neighbors come together to support one another—in times of celebration and uplifting, as well as in times of tragedy and need. 

It felt so natural to become a more involved local citizen. I co-founded a monthly forum for discussing science-related issues of public interest that is now in its 13th year. I have worked with numerous animal rescue agencies, even creating programs such as the K9 coach program to work with recent adopters on common behavioral issues to decrease the number of returned dogs. And, most significantly, I have had the privilege to be a foster parent for Wayne County Children Services. In fact, I adopted my younger son through foster care and continue to serve as a Board member and mentor.  

As a foster parent, I have gained first-hand insight into the hardships some of our neighbors are facing. Whether adults are struggling to care for themselves and/or their children, the majority have faced any combination of: mental health challenges, addiction, under- or unemployment, inability to afford stable housing and a history of incarceration. More generally, like much of the country, our area is under-resourced for people in crisis.

Every day in both my personal and professional life, I work on solving problems that we can do something about. As your state senator, I’ll approach my job with the keen ability of a mother to identify problems and the knowhow of a scientist to address them. I am sick and tired of politicians attempting to divide Ohioans with false choices. Instead, I will use a “Yes, and” mentality. Yes, we can preserve farmland and provide affordable housing. Yes, we can protect the environment and promote job growth. Yes, we can allow people to have guns and prevent gun violence.

I will work to bring people together for a stronger, safer and more affordable Ohio.