As your voice for Seat C of District 4 on the Blount County Commission, I am committed to hearing what you have to say, and to keeping you informed about your local government.

Professional Background

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Speaker, Consultant, Writer, Community Volunteer
• Mental Health Professional since 1981 in East Tennessee, inpatient and outpatient settings
• Graduate-level Field Instructor for UT’s College of Social Work
• Private Practice since 1993, founding Cove Mountain Counseling, an Association of Independent Practitioners in Maryville, Tennessee
• Former Columnist for the Daily Times and for Blount County Voice
• Booklet Author: “How to Love an Adolescent: 101 Tips for Parents of Teens”
• Former Family Therapy Director for Peninsula Village, long-term treatment facility for youth
• Former Tennessee Supreme Court Listed Rule 31 Family Mediator
• Former Adjunct Professor at Maryville College

Boards Served

• Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation (County Commission representative)
• Blount County Children’s Home (County Commission representative)
• Cariten Health Behavioral Provider Advisory Board
• Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus
• Maryville Branch, American Association of University Women (AAUW, past President)
• Women’s Equity Foundation (founding Director)
• Tennessee Economic Council on Women
• Representing the East Tennessee Development District (Appointed by Speakers of State House and Senate to 2 consecutive 6 year terms, Planned and implemented 3 regional Economic Summits for Women, 2010 Summit is in process)
• Blount County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
• Blount County Community Mediation Center
• Tennessee Society for Clinical Social Work. Initiated "Life After Graduation" Conference for UT.
• Community Health Initiative Mental Health Action Team

Community Work

• Voted "Public Official of the Year 2008" by NASW-Tennessee Chapter
• Blount County Commissioner, District 4, Seat C.
• Reading for Success Mentor, Blount County Schools
• Member, Experience Your Smokies Class of 2007
• Member, Leadership Blount Class of 2006
• Voted one of "Fifty People Who Matter" by The Daily Times (Maryville), 2006
• United Way of Blount County Allocation Panel, 2003-2004, 2007-2010
• Initiated through AAUW the bi-annual Crystal Award, and the annual Sister to Sister Summit for Blount County girls which received national recognition. Chaired or co-chaired that event from 2001-2005. It’s currently in it’s 9th year.
• Initiated through the Chamber the successful Career Development Day for (low income) Women in 2003, which led to the successful establishment of at least one local woman-owned business
• Former Volunteer, ACSESS/Breakaway Juvenile Intervention Wilderness Program, Anderson Co.

Commission Committees Served To Date

• Animal Control Committee (Chair)
• Risk Management Committee
• Education Committee
• Blount Co. Animal Care Center Advisory Comte.
• Ethics Committee (Chair)
• Ad Hoc Committee on Water Quality Buffers