From limited opportunity to a lifetime of service

My journey

Rural Alabama → Cotton mill → State government → U.S. Army Reserves → Florida → United Kingdom → Motherhood → Fairfax County → FCPS substitute teacher → PTA leadership → Community leadership → School Board candidate

I grew up in a small rural community in Alabama at a time when my family and community faced food insecurity and opportunities for education beyond high school were limited. For many young people, there simply wasn’t a clear path forward after graduation.

After high school, I went to work in a cotton mill making T-shirts. It was honest work, but I knew I wanted more for my life. An opportunity to work for a state government agency opened another door.

That experience taught me something that has stayed with me throughout my life: opportunity can change the direction of a person’s life.

I later joined the U.S. Army Reserves, where I had the privilege of serving as an active-duty soldier managing the personnel department at a U.S. Army Reserve Center. Military service strengthened my commitment to leadership, responsibility, teamwork, and serving something larger than myself.

After I married, I was honorably discharged and moved to Florida, where I became Executive Assistant to the President of a local television station. Following my husband’s career took our family to the United Kingdom and eventually back to the United States, between the East Coast and West Coast.

Then came another important chapter: motherhood. Raising our children and moving with our family meant I could not always work full time. But I never stopped working for my community.

When we settled in Fairfax County, I became an FCPS substitute teacher, a role I held for 20 years. Being in classrooms gave me an up-close view of the dedication of teachers and staff and the diverse needs of our students and families. And I found another place to serve: PTA.