As a candidate for the Arizona House, I am running to represent all residents of our district, not just those who agree with me. We are one community and we need legislators who will provide solutions to our problems, not ones who seek to divide us. I am a Navy veteran and licensed attorney who has represented health care professionals for over 25 years.
We all agree we need access to affordable healthcare. Arizona has a shortage of primary care practitioners. In Yavapai County, there is only one primary care physician for about 1800 residents, many of whom have high health care needs. Because of the shortage of practitioners, too many residents in our District travel long distances for care. We need representatives who will focus on this shortage so we can access healthcare when we need it. I understand the issues providers face and what we can do to help them help us.
We can all agree Arizonans are suffering from mental health issues, including an epidemic of loneliness. There is a direct connection between loneliness and poor health, including the risk of early death. I have first-hand experience with this connection. My sister retired at 62 and moved to Arizona. She was so excited to live in a State with year-round golf. But her move meant she was cut off from her friends in Minnesota and she had difficulty making new ones. She died three years later due to alcohol abuse. This was a preventable death and we need lawmakers who will enact policies to address mental health care.
Most of us agree women should have the right to make their own decisions about whether they are willing and able to continue a pregnancy. I support a woman’s right to choose and the Arizona Abortion Access Act. With your support, we can enshrine this right in the Arizona Constitution so anti-choice legislators can’t take this right away from us again.
I am the youngest of 11. Growing up, meals were chaotic, and although there was always enough food, my mother often worried it would not be enough. I am an honors graduate of the University of Minnesota, where I studied Economics and Spanish. After leaving the Navy, I attended Albany Law School with the support of my husband and veteran’s assistance. As a Supply Corps officer in the Navy, I took an oath to defend our Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, and I intend to uphold this oath for life. As General Counsel for a Catholic healthcare system, I put these principles into action by taking on the role of servant leader.
My husband and I chose to live in Arizona because of its natural beauty and its long-standing commitment to individual liberty. We should be proud of all that Arizona has to offer us. I know that I am and I would be proud to serve as your representative in the Arizona House.