Candidate Q&A

If you have kids – Do they attend or have they graduated from IPS schools? If not, where do/did they attend?

Yes, I have three children. Two attend Paramount School of Excellence-Englewood and One attends Paramount School of Excellence-Cottage Home

What prompted you to run this year?

As both a parent and a former IPS educator, I’ve seen the incredible potential within IPS, but I’ve also seen the challenges facing our students, families, and teachers. I believe our district needs leaders who understand what happens in classrooms, who will listen to families, make thoughtful financial decisions, and keep students at the center of every decision. Indiana’s evolving educational landscape presents families with a range of public-school options. As this landscape continues to evolve, it is essential that IPS is positioned to compete and succeed through equitable access to funding, resources, and opportunities. I believe families should be empowered to make informed decisions based on the quality of educational outcomes, innovative programming, and the unique strengths of each school—not disparities in available resources or systemic support. My commitment is to advancing policies that strengthen IPS, promote fiscal equity, and ensure the district has the capacity to deliver an exceptional educational experience for every student. By investing in academic excellence, effective educators, and student-centered innovation, we can enhance IPS’s competitiveness while preserving the principle that every child deserves access to a high-quality public education. I’m running because I want to help build an IPS where families feel heard, teachers feel supported, and every student, regardless of their background or neighborhood, has the opportunity to thrive. This campaign is about giving back to the community that has entrusted us with its children and ensuring our public schools remain a place of opportunity for generations to come.

What is the most pressing student needs issue facing the district? How will you address it?

The most pressing student-needs issue facing IPS is ensuring that every student has equitable access to the academic, social-emotional, and wraparound supports necessary to succeed. Too many students come to school carrying barriers that directly affect their ability to learn—including chronic absenteeism, mental-health challenges, housing instability, food insecurity, transportation challenges, and unmet special-education needs. These challenges contribute to persistent academic achievement gaps, particularly for historically underserved students. IPS must address the barriers preventing students from fully engaging in their education while ensuring that every school has the resources, staff, and community partnerships needed to support the whole child. I believe IPS can address this by investing in the whole child while holding ourselves accountable for measurable academic outcomes. We need to strengthen school-based mental-health and SEL supports, intervene earlier when students begin missing school, expand wraparound services, and ensure students with disabilities, English learners, and historically underserved students have access to the resources they need to thrive. We should also strengthen tutoring and early academic interventions, so students receive help before they fall significantly behind. As a board, we should listen directly to students, families, educators, and community partners and use that feedback alongside student data to determine where resources are most needed. Most importantly, we need to measure whether our investments are actually improving attendance, academic achievement, school climate, and graduation outcomes. Every student deserves support, but every student also deserves the opportunity to achieve at high levels.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe IPS should continue to focus on literacy, but also math. Literacy is foundational, but math deserves particular attention right now because Indiana has placed new statutory requirements on districts beginning this school year. Indiana’s current mathematics standards also emphasize both mathematical content and the ability to develop conceptual understanding and apply mathematical skills.

As Indianapolis education begins this new phase with the addition of IPEC, how should the board approach its relationship with IPEC?

I would advocate for a collaborative relationship with IPEC that is transparent, respectful, and centered on results. We may have different responsibilities, but we serve the same children and the same Indianapolis community. Our success should ultimately be measured by whether students have safe schools, reliable transportation, strong academic opportunities, appropriate support services, and equitable access to the resources they need to thrive.

Do you support the IPEC referendum and the rate? Why or why not?

I see both sides of the IPEC referendum. On one hand, our students cannot afford deeper cuts to teachers, special education, student support services, transportation, and academic programming. IPS has already made significant reductions, and without additional operating revenue, the district could face substantially larger cuts. The referendum provides an important source of stability for students and educators. At the same time, I understand the concern of Indianapolis taxpayers. A 37.2-cent referendum represents a meaningful additional cost for homeowners, and families are already dealing with rising costs. We cannot simply ask taxpayers for more money without demanding transparency, fiscal responsibility, and measurable results. My position is that if voters approve this referendum, IPEC and IPS must treat that investment as a commitment to students and taxpayers. We need clear spending priorities, public reporting, strong oversight, and measurable outcomes. We should prioritize classroom instruction, special education, student support services, teacher retention, and academic interventions while continuing to identify efficiencies elsewhere. I also believe Indianapolis needs to continue advocating for greater state investment in public education so that local property taxpayers aren’t continually asked to fill gaps in state funding. A referendum can be part of the solution, but it should not become a substitute for sustainable and equitable state funding.

IPS recently made budget cuts and will need to make more cuts even if the referendum passes. What will be your approach to budget cut decisions? Are there other ways IPS can bring in money beyond the referendum?

Cut waste before we cut classrooms, protect students with the greatest needs, diversify our revenue, and make every dollar accountable.” That is especially important because IPS’s financial situation isn’t simply the result of one bad budget year. The district has identified declining enrollment, changes in state and federal policy, funding reductions, and rising costs as contributors to its financial challenges. Indianapolis has a substantial business, nonprofit, healthcare, and higher-education community. The school board should be asking: What can the community contribute financially, through services, internships, technology, mentoring, mental-health support, workforce development, and other partnerships?

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

If elected, I will make listening to our community a regular part of my work as a school board member. I want to hear from students, parents, teachers, support staff, school leaders, neighborhood organizations, and community partners—not just during election season or when a major decision is being made. I would hold regular community listening sessions throughout the district, visit schools, attend neighborhood and parent meetings, and create accessible ways for families to share feedback. I also want to make sure engagement is inclusive by meeting people where they are and reducing barriers that can prevent families from participating. Community feedback would directly inform my decision-making. Before important votes, I would seek input, review the concerns and priorities raised by the community, and consider that information alongside student outcomes, financial data, research, and the needs of educators. I would also explain how community feedback influenced my decisions—or, when I disagree with the majority, explain why. I believe listening does not mean agreeing with everyone. It means respecting people enough to hear them, being transparent about how decisions are made, and remaining accountable for the choices I make. Students and families should never feel that decisions are being made about them without being made with them. My commitment would be simple: listen first, communicate honestly, act thoughtfully, and remain accountable to the community.

Outside money to fund campaigns has been a huge factor in previous IPS school board elections. Will you accept any donations from outside special interest groups? Why or why not?

I will not accept donations from outside special-interest groups or organizations seeking to influence IPS policy. I believe an IPS school board member should be accountable first and foremost to the students, families, educators, and taxpayers of Indianapolis. Our community deserves to know that when I make a decision about academics, school funding, transportation, facilities, special education, or student services, that decision is based on what is best for our children—not on who contributed to my campaign. Outside money has played a significant role in previous IPS school board elections, and I believe we need to restore confidence that these elections are about our students and our local communities. As an independent candidate, I want my campaign to reflect the same independence I would bring to the board. I would welcome support from individual members of our community who believe in my vision, but I will not allow campaign contributions to create an expectation of access, influence, or special treatment. I also believe in complete transparency. Campaign contributions should be publicly reported, and voters should be able to see who is financially supporting candidates. Indiana provides campaign-finance reporting requirements and public resources for voters to review campaign contributions and expenditures. My commitment is simple: I will not sell access, and I will not allow campaign money to determine my vote. The students of Indianapolis deserve a school board that answers to them.