I moved to Texas in 2005 when assigned to Lackland Air Force Base as a trauma nurse at Wilford Hall Medical Center (when it was still an active trauma center). I loved Texas so much that I made it my home.
My first home in Texas was in a subdivision in the Stone Oak area of San Antonio. At that time, it was a peaceful place to live, pre-281 expansion, and without much density. I have experienced growth more than once since moving to Texas.
As a community member, I recall the shock when an entire hillside off US-281 was clear-cut to build a shopping center and homes. This act angered the community and me but was permitted due to a grandfather clause.
Since the TPC shopping center was built, the area has become overdeveloped- including massive apartment complexes, shopping centers, and a hub for the medical community. What was once a park-like environment has become a concrete jungle full of fine particulate dust. I left the congested area and eventually moved to Spring Branch, enjoying the quiet life on a small ranch. Walmart was built only a short time after moving there. The light pollution began and was quickly followed by development and congestion, resulting in waves of rooftops.
Growing older, it was time to consider where to spend the remainder of my life, as maintaining even a small ranch was challenging. I had wanted to live in Boerne when I settled in Texas in 2005, but at that time, my obligations would not allow me to move that far from the military base. Boerne was an immediate and natural choice when searching for my forever community. I have close Air Force friends in the area and participated in the Boerne Parade with them. I fell in love with the smalltown feel and tight-knit community here.
As a former military officer, I stand for integrity in everything I do. I believe in serving others and have volunteered on several medical mission trips in underserved countries. I used my GI bill to return to school and earned my nurse practitioner degree from Texas Tech in 2012.
I was drawn even closer to the Hill Country when I did most of my clinical rotations at a clinic for underserved people in Bandera, TX. I have lived and worked in the Hill Country ever since.
I earned my doctorate in nursing practice degree at Texas Tech in 2020. My doctoral project focused on community health and well-being. I learned how to identify issues affecting communities and utilize best practices to maintain and improve the quality of life for those living there. I have visited the national and Texas State capitols several times, working with legislators to advocate for nurses and their patients.
Living in Boerne and speaking to people in my community, I have realized that the quality of life here is reaching a tipping point. When I learned that there was a need for people to run for the city council, I did not hesitate to connect the dots and instantly knew that I could make a difference here. As a city council member, I will listen and respond to the issues brought to me by citizens in real-time and use best practices to find a path that best represents community members, their families, and their property.
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