Growing up on Lake Erie, I relied on a large stack of books to help get me through winters that seemed to last a year. Fortunately, I found refuge in the grand Main Library, an architectural marvel built in the late 1800s with a decorative rotunda and the distinct smell of books and aged mahogany. 

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After college, I moved to Northern Virginia and worked for The Nature Conservancy, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. I then moved to South Carolina, got married, and relied on a large stack of books again. But this time, it was to help me get through endless summers when it was unimaginably steamy outside. Since 2014, I have had a consulting company working primarily with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. My husband and I relocated to Southern Maryland in 2018, and I can finally enjoy all the seasons with my stacks of books.

 

My community is turning from a small fishing community on the banks of the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay to a predominantly family-oriented community. My community's new library opening in December 2024 is central to this growth. I want to be part of that evolution and serve my community as a librarian, preferably as a children's librarian. 

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I intend to earn a master's degree in Library and Information Studies from Old Dominion University. This will enable me to serve my community and inspire new readers by expanding their knowledge through books and other information sources.