My Educational Philosophy

Public education is the key to the American Dream

I am living proof of what public education can do. I was the first person in my family to earn a college degree, so when I say education is a game-changer, I am not repeating a talking point; I am describing my own life. My parents' investment in my education carried me to a Bachelor of Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and later to two master’s degrees: one in Contract Administration from Florida Institute of Technology, and one in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Public education is the foundation of a functioning democracy. It is the engine behind the American Dream, the reason a child born with nothing can still build something, and the reason this country remains a place where upward mobility is possible. Everything I have been able to do professionally and personally traces back to the doors of education that opened for me, doors my parents worked hard to make sure I could walk through. That belief carried into how I raised my own children. Both attended a mix of parochial and public schools. My daughter Michelle graduated from George Mason University, and my son Jared graduated from Towson University. Both are proud Meade High School alumni.

I put that belief into action as former PTSA President at Meade High School, where we grew membership from under 30 to more than 110, won $120,000 in music department grants more than any other school in Anne Arundel County and launched Meade's first-ever Annual Block Party. I have stayed close to Meade ever since, watching a school I fought for grow into one that reflects the community's investment in it, now a modernized 379,600-square-foot facility serving 2,500 students with a newly refronted, secure entrance for every student, on-base or off.

Supporting teachers and students takes more than good intentions, it takes showing up. I believe in classrooms that are safe, that spark curiosity, and that recognize every student learns differently. I want to help build schools where every student sees their own potential reflected back at them, builds real confidence in their abilities, and graduates ready for whatever comes next: college, career, or both.

This is the first "E" in my E2C2 philosophy: Education, Economy, Community, and Country. Education is the vehicle that prepares our youth not just for a career, but for full participation in our democracy. I stand behind a five-point plan for every school community:

1. Safety first — give teachers the support to build classrooms free from harm, bullying, and outside threats.

2. Real parental engagement — build partnerships that don't just invite parents in but equip them to actively support their children's education.

3. High expectations for every student — know each school's educational philosophy and hold it accountable to support every student's growth, academic and personal.

4. Teach financial literacy early — economic responsibility and the basics of saving and investing belong in the classroom, not just learned the hard way as adults.

5. Close the gaps — use what works to close achievement and discipline gaps: early reading and math intervention, arts and technology integration, and resources aimed where they're needed most.

Every spring and fall, my office awards scholarships to District 32 students entering college, graduate school, or another program of higher education. I believe every stage of that journey deserves support, not just the first degree. These scholarships are a tangible extension of my belief that education is the vehicle for opportunity, and a reminder to every student that their delegate's office is invested in their success.