I grew up outside a small, rural town in Paulding County called Grover Hill. My dad was an engineer and a hobby farmer and my mom was a teacher. I graduated from Wayne Trace High School (go raiders) with honors in 2018.
I started college at Capital University in Bexley but transferred to BGSU during the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020 which is what brought me to Bowling Green.
I majored Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Law which was a new program at the time.
I've worked plenty of odd jobs in and around BG during my time here and am presently employed at Easy Street Cafe and Grumpy Dave's Pub as a bartender and waitress.
I've served on Student Senate at every educational institution I've attended and have been civically engaged since High School, my favorite of these experiences being my time on the Attorney General's Student Advisory Board hosted by now-Governor Mike DeWine.I think that with so much of Bowling Green City's population being young adults, many of whom stuck around after attending BGSU, we'd be well-served by younger voices on council. I do not look at my youth or lack of elected experience as a negative. We've been sitting on issues like bike lanes for the last 40 years and while I understand the gears of government grind slow I believe some youthful optimism and enthusiasm would help to put change in motion.

Housing:It's no secret that the inflating cost of housing has priced many out of home-ownership. Housing supply has to rise to meet the constantly rising demand. By expanding denser, pedestrian-focused development we can help to bridge that gap. Council began to address those concerns with zoning reform in 2023, but there's certainly more that can be done.Despite creating the mixed-use Pedestrian-Residential Zone, by prohibiting dwellings above two units the end goal of increasing dense development is effectively stonewalled. The same is true of the severe limitations placed on what business types can operate within the district.Our city would be best served by dense, walkable neighborhoods with bodegas on every corner. Not only is this our most sustainable course of action, it's the exact kind of public policy that young people everywhere are clamoring for. While we remain leagues ahead of surrounding cities and villages in our youth retention rate thanks in large part to BGSU, we must work harder to keep our city from being a temporary stay.While respect must be given to existing historic buildings, the sea of cars and bars that saturates our downtown is not worth defending.The city remains behind the times in regulating short-term rentals and policies to limit their prevalence are necessary before it's too late.Lastly, teeth need to be restored to the rental housing quality and inspection legislation enacted by council in 2021. Landlord self-inspections are most certainly not the answer to ensuring quality housing to renters, and earlier versions of the legislation offered much more robust and serious forms of enforcement. Everyone in our city is entitled to a living situation that is livable and the practice of rent-paying citizens being charged more for less needs to be curbed.

Downtown Growth:One of my favorite things about living in Bowling Green is the rich tradition of community events like the Black Swamp Arts Festival. The addition of Firefly Nights in 2018 was a great step, but with so many people traveling north to Toledo in search of things to do, there's certainly more work ahead of our city. Cities all across the country are working on the issues of boredom and vacancy and we could easily follow their lead.Cities like Athens and Bloomington have shown how regular public events like food truck nights, art fairs, and live outdoor music can transform a small town into a cultural hub. I will advocate for small grants and partnerships that help local organizers, artists, and student groups host low-cost, high-energy events in our parks, streets, and public spaces. These community moments make Bowling Green more connected, fun, and attractive for residents and visitors alike.Additionally, we should cut red tape for small businesses and creative venues.
We need to make it easier, not harder, for people to open music venues, game shops, bookstores, and family-friendly nightlife spots. Ann Arbor, for example, streamlined permitting for small arts and food businesses to fill empty storefronts. I’ll push for zoning updates and permit reforms that reduce fees and wait times for local entrepreneurs, especially those who want to create places that serve young adults, students, and families.We should also give students and young people a real voice in what gets built and programmed.
Many people in town are under 30, but they’re often left out of city planning. Cities like Madison, WI and Chapel Hill, NC have youth advisory councils that shape public programming, transit decisions, and arts funding. I’ll champion a Bowling Green Youth & Student Culture Council in cooperation with the Parks Department and BGSU to give young residents a real say and a small budget to support the events and spaces they want to see.Further, our parks are a valuable, untapped asset waiting to be fully utilized. We could bring these spaces to life with games, fitness, and fun.
Let’s rethink our parks as not just green space but social space. Programs like "Recreation on the Move" in Kansas City or "Pop-Up Play Days" in Dayton send portable games, music, and fitness events into underused neighborhoods. I’ll work to fund mobile recreation staff and seasonal programming that turns our parks into active, welcoming places year-round.Those familiar with our downtown know how many untapped assets sit close to the four corners. Council should begin to revive empty storefronts with pop-ups and art.
Vacant spaces downtown don’t need to sit empty for years. Nearby cities like Detroit and Cleveland have launched storefront activation programs that allow temporary uses like mini galleries, student-run stores, or maker spaces at an overall low cost. I’ll introduce a vacancy initiative that incentivizes landlords to temporarily lease space to local creatives, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits.Ultimately, the idea is simple: invest in community culture, not just concrete.
A livable city isn’t just about roads and buildings, it’s about shared experiences, creative energy, and reasons to stay after graduation. By taking action downtown and focusing on culture, connection, and community-driven activity, we can make Bowling Green not just a place people go to college but a place they want to build a life.

Safety:No one tests the safety infrastructure of a city more thoroughly than a young woman downtown at night. Having wore those shoes I believe that I'm uniquely positioned to speak on what we could do better.Safety audits focusing on streetlights and police patrol routes could help make our streets even more safe. Partnering with local businesses to create designated safe places would give citizens who may feel unsafe defined spaces to stop and seek help. I would also pursue studying the use of blue light phones near sidewalks that see relatively high traffic late at nightFor many young people, going out is part of college and community life, but too often, safety concerns, especially for women and LGBTQ+ individuals, go unaddressed. We need to support bars and venues in becoming safer spaces through incentivizing staff training on bystander intervention, harassment prevention, and safe-serving practices. Programs like these are already working in college towns across the country. Paired with clear reporting systems and visible community standards, we can create a nightlife scene that’s fun, welcoming, and safe for everyone.Additionally, we have a clear need for more late-night options that don’t revolve around heavy drinking—like cafes, food trucks, live music, or game spaces.Outside of our nightlife, there's room for safety reform concerning the way we police our city. We must address how race, gender identity, and income impact how people experience public safety in Bowling Green. That means investing in community-led solutions, ensuring accountability in policing, and supporting efforts that build trust between every segment of our Bowling Green community.In that same vein, too many public safety calls involve mental health or addiction- issues better handled by trained professionals, not just law enforcement. The city should invest in mental health responders, crisis teams, and support services that treat people with care, not cuffs.
We could get ahead of these issues and begin to build a safer city by focusing on prevention, not punishment.

Diversity and Inclusion:Bowling Green can begin by investing in institutional equity initiatives that ensure city policies, hiring practices, and public services are inclusive and representative of the community’s demographics. This means conducting equity audits of city departments, creating a permanent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office or advisory board, and ensuring that hiring panels, commissions, and leadership roles reflect the diversity of the city across race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic background.Training city staff and elected officials in cultural competency and anti-bias practices is another essential foundation for long-term change.The city should also take a community-centered approach, partnering directly with underrepresented residents to shape public safety, education, housing, and cultural policy. This includes creating space for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrant, and disabled community members to participate in town halls, neighborhood forums, and planning commissions particularly in areas that have historically excluded them.Public investments in multilingual outreach, transportation access, and childcare for civic events can dramatically increase participation. The city should also support and invest in cultural festivals, community-led arts, and historical programming that highlights the full breadth of BG’s residents and stories.Finally, Bowling Green can lead by example by becoming a model city for inclusive policy. This would include expanding our comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance, enforcing equitable housing practices, and supporting inclusive zoning that allows diverse family structures to live and thrive in all neighborhoods. The city should also work with BGSU and regional employers to promote inclusive workplace practices and economic access. When cities like Bowling Green take real action to include everyone, not just in policy but in power, they not only build trust but also foster a stronger, more resilient community.

Federal Overreach and the Elephant in the Room:The state of the government affairs beyond our city have had a definite impact on me and my decision to run for city council. It may feel to many as though we are powerless in the circus of national government, but the focus of this campaign is proving that we are not.The gut-wrenching way immigrants are being treated in our country will not be tolerated in our city. Bowling Green City Council can take a principled stand against unjust federal immigration policies by adopting local ordinances that limit cooperation with ICE.While Ohio law constrains full "sanctuary city" status, Bowling Green can still prohibit local police and city employees from inquiring about immigration status, sharing sensitive data with ICE without a warrant, or participating in immigration raids. These actions are well within the council’s authority and would send a clear message: Bowling Green will not be an accessory to unjust federal crackdowns.To defend residents from future injustices, the city can create a local legal defense fund to support immigrants facing detention or deportation, and partner with regional immigration attorneys and advocacy organizations to offer "Know Your Rights" workshops, especially for students, workers, and families vulnerable to ICE targeting. This is particularly important in a university town like Bowling Green, where many residents, especially international students and undocumented families, may not know their rights or feel safe seeking help. City-wide support for public education campaigns can give residents real tools to defend themselves.Looking ahead, the city must institutionalize its resistance to harmful federal overreach by building permanent structures of accountability. This includes forming a human rights commission or civil liberties committee to monitor federal activity in Bowling Green, respond to emergency injustices, and recommend protective policies.
Council can also pass preemptive resolutions asserting the city’s values and preparing legal frameworks to respond to future discriminatory or authoritarian federal mandates.I will be proud to champion all of these efforts as a member of city council. We must be brave and unwavering in defending the values of community, dignity, and mutual respect. No amount of disgusting rhetoric or half-baked threats should shake us from being at the forefront of resisting the ghouls who clamor to see their neighbors worse off.