As a city councillor, you sit at a council table, speak into a microphone, or post about decisions. People see your votes. They hear your arguments. They may agree with your values. But people don’t always get to know how those values were formed. So I thought I would share a little about who I am and how I became who I am. These are the same values I will bring to the table as Mayor.

I grew up mostly on Vancouver Island, raised by a single mom who worked incredibly hard to support my sister and me. I know what struggle feels like. But we had resilience. We had love. And we understood early that nothing would be handed to us. That stays with me.

I was very close to my Oma and Opa (my grandparents), whose old-country roots shaped so much of my childhood. From them, I learned the value, and expectation, of hard work, careful stewardship of resources, and generosity even when you have little to give. In their world, there were no shortcuts. You worked. You saved. You took care of what you had. They shared stories of sacrifice and survival that are hard to imagine.

My Opa taught me the names of trees before I could properly read and told me stories of his adventures as a fisherman. He befriended animals, including a family of deer that visited daily. The buck was named Bobby. Nature, the beauty of the world around us, was simply part of how I grew up. My Oma was the hardest-working person I have ever known. Dawn until dusk, rest was for Sundays. While my sister and I spent much of our time outside playing, we helped as much as we could. I can still stack a mean pile of firewood and I see every detail in a task.

In my grandparents’ home, nothing was sugar-coated. The realities of the world were discussed openly: greed, suffering, war, but also kindness, responsibility, and the power of a few good people to change things (and what happens when they don’t). I was taught early that government should serve the many, not the few and that when decisions are driven mostly by profit, it’s everyday people who often lose out.

My family wasn’t political, but they cared deeply. Our house was loud. Debates were normal. We didn’t always agree and respectful disagreement was welcomed. We were expected to stand up for what we felt was right. That’s what still guides me today.

On the mainland, my sister and I visited my dad and his family often. He was a veteran and an outdoorsman, a “man’s man” kind of guy, and he expected strength from his daughters because he knew we were capable. He never treated us differently. We hiked. We camped. We fished. We learned to stand on our own two feet and respect the land we depended on. I am still tough outdoors and honestly feel most at home there.

I became the first person on either side of my family to graduate from university, paid for mostly with student loans. I started out wanting to become a doctor because I wanted to help people. But over time, I began to see that some of our biggest challenges are structural. The deck is often stacked against hardworking people. I realized I wanted to improve the system, upstream. That eventually led me to graduate school, into policy work, and ultimately into local politics.

For most of the last 20 years, Port Moody has been my home. There is something very special about this place and the people who choose to live here. My story of how I ended up here is unique to me but it’s also not unique at all. Every one of us carries a story of how we came to Port Moody.

I know the struggles I faced are the same struggles countless families face every day. I know the values I was raised with are the same values shared by so many: fairness, hard work, integrity, and connection to nature and each other. My beliefs didn’t start in politics. They started just like yours – at home and out in the world – where I gained my resilience, my values, and my strength to stand up for what is right.

What drives me is making life better for people in our city.That has always felt worth fighting for. I’m running for Mayor of Port Moody because our city deserves leadership rooted in our shared values. The same principles I’ve brought to the council table will continue to guide every decision I make – with fairness, courage, and a commitment to our community. I am running with Port Moody Voice because I want to bring together people who share a commitment to putting residents first and working collaboratively at the council table.

Real change doesn’t happen because one person stands alone. It happens when good people stand together. And together, we can ensure our city truly reflects the values we share.