What is one word that describes you perfectly?

Undaunted.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Find a place where your voice, thoughts and opinions are valued. If you can’t find that space, create it for yourself and others. Don’t be afraid to ask, the worst that can happen is someone says no. Almost everyone has bouts of imposter syndrome. We have to talk about it so other women are aware of how common it is and destigmatize it and find ways to work through it.

What makes you happy?

Time with my family and new grandbabies, seeing my children grow to up to be good, caring people.

How do you measure success?

By how my work impacts others, making a real quantifiable difference (improvement) in people’s lives by creating affordable housing.

What historical event inspires you the most?

I have been most inspired by events in my own life rather than historical events. I have seen first hand the impact of housing instability, youth homelessness, racial bias and discrimination, and many other forms of social/housing injustice. I am inspired everyday by those events and work to balance out the injustice I see in the world.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“Just keep swimming” Dory from Finding Nemo. I do a lot of advocacy work and am always trying to fight the good fight to ensure that the housing needs of rural areas and areas outside of the Puget Sound region are considered at the state and federal level . It is an endurance event and this quote reminds me of that.