I was born and raised in rural southern Illinois—true southern Illinois, Route 13 and below. My father, mother, aunts, and uncles were teachers and school administrators, but when I was about two years old, my dad got involved in politics. He was first appointed Saline County Clerk, serving a total of five years. In 1984, he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly as State Representative of the 118th District.

For fourteen years, Dad fought for the working-class people of our district, supporting union workers, school teachers, farmers, healthcare providers, and small business owners in Springfield. In 1998, he took that fight to the U.S. Congress.

My entire childhood and early adult years were spent campaigning and working alongside Dad as he advocated for everyday Americans and worked to protect the most vulnerable among us—the poor, children, and the elderly. He was instrumental in so many laws that improved their lives.

I knew I wanted to make a real difference in the lives of others, just like Dad (and mom and aunts and uncles) did. So, I chose a career in healthcare.

I cared for cardiac patients and then surgical patients early in my nursing career. I later worked as a therapeutic specialist for a pharmaceutical company and eventually went back to school to fulfill my ultimate goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. In August 2011, I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Master of Science in Nursing and a Family Nurse Practitioner degree.

For thirteen years, I provided specialty and primary care to patients in rural Illinois and Kentucky. When the opportunity came to enter the political arena, my knee-jerk reaction was, “No way.” I knew the sacrifices my dad had made all those years to serve the public. Ultimately, though, my love for my community—and especially for the children I cared for in my clinic—led me to answer the call. I thought maybe I could make meaningful change to a system that was clearly failing rural America.

I have the distinction of being the first nurse to serve in the Illinois General Assembly and the first woman to represent the 118th District. After nearly two years in the Illinois House of Representatives, from September 2017 through January 2019, and a lost election, I knew my service wasn’t over.

It turns out I’m good at bringing people together and finding creative solutions to complex problems.

I spent the next year and a half consulting for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois and the American Nurses Association–Illinois. Then, in August 2021, I was asked to join the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as Deputy Director. Little did I know that I would be named Director of IDNR in January 2023 by Governor Pritzker.

Leading IDNR and serving in Governor Pritzker’s cabinet was the honor of a lifetime. During my tenure, IDNR saw major improvements across the agency. Governor Pritzker commented on my leadership, “Her tenure will serve as a guiding example for new leadership, as it brought more visitors to our state parks, new life to our historical sites, and revitalization to our ports and commercial hubs.”

Now, I have the opportunity to use the experience, skills, and relationships I’ve cultivated throughout each chapter of my professional life to help other organizations achieve their goals.

The common theme throughout my adult working years has always been simple: help as many people as possible.

I’m grateful for every opportunity to be a resource, a problem-solver, and an advocate for others. I look forward to working alongside you and helping in whatever way I can.