Party affiliation: Republican

Date of birth:

Hometown: Fryeburg

Occupation: Teacher

Education: Bachelor’s in English, University of New Hampshire; master’s in second language literacy, University of Southern Maine

Community organizations: Founding member and past president, Pequawket Music and Arts Association; former leader and member of the Board of Directors for the Kennebec Chapter of Girl Scouts, USA; future member, Board of Directors of the American support division of her French alma mater, Le Lycée Cévenol, in Le Chambon, France.

Personal information (hobbies, etc.):

Family status: Widowed, four children

Years in the Legislature: Two

Clean Election candidate?:

Committee assignments: State and Local Government; Governor’s Committee on Prescription Drug Importation

1. Experience and integrity are the unique characteristics I bring to voters and the reasons I am offering to serve again. I am attuned to the particular needs of my constituents, and am always learning from them. I try to champion their causes while balancing their wishes against those of other Mainers.

2. Working regionally, to seek solutions to transportation, economic, environmental and tourism challenges and to develop new opportunities for the District 97 towns along them. I am currently working on highway projects, Saco River challenges and sexual offender issues, to name a few.

3. Although I am as tired of Maine’s outrageous tax bills as the next person, I am concerned that TABOR sounds too good to be true. It needs serious revision before we step out onto the same branch that has already proven shaky in Colorado. Limiting future tax increases to a formula based on population growth and inflation ignores other price variables involved in determining cost change.

4. I expect that problems surrounding sex offender prosecution, sentencing, placement after incarceration, and listing on the state registry will dominate the 123rd Legislature. Anti-discrimination, fetal rights and other social issues tackled in the last Legislature were largely settled for the time being.

5. I am guardedly optimistic about the future of Dirigo Health. Although it has gotten off to a slow start and its start-up is costing the state much more that anticipated, it is helping individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health coverage. That said, we must honestly address the additional costs and adjust the program to attract the people it was created to help.