League of Women Voters/Vote411 Voter Guide

What are your priorities for Fairfax City?

I have five core priorities for the mayorship:

1. Establish a sustainable, long-term budget informed by holistic planning across the City's infrastructure and service portfolios

2. Incentivize integrated development in the City's Activity Centers, prioritizing transparent and repeatable development review processes and creating space for small business incubation

3. Increase resident participation in City planning and decision-making processes

4. Attract, retain, and reward high-quality City staff and re-establish a culture of respect across City government.

5. Bolster relationships with GMU and continue to engage proactively with surrounding municipalities regarding regional issues like traffic, housing, and green space preservation

What qualifications do you have for this position?

I have been a member of the City of Fairfax's Planning Commission since March 2021, and I am currently the Commission's Vice Chair and delegate to Fairfax City Economic Development's Facade and Interior Improvement Grant (FIIG) committee. Professionally, I have worked as a strategy consultant for more than 20 years, predominately in the federal government space and with a focus on infrastructure and change management. I am also a life-long participant in City of Fairfax parks and recreation activities, a City schools parent and PTA member, and a dedicated community volunteer.

What do you see as the most urgent issue facing Fairfax City and what solutions do you propose?

Going solely off what I’ve heard on the campaign trail this year, the “urgent issues” tend to follow the headlines but generally include taxes, homelessness, traffic, and immigration. Diving into these complex issues, though, I have found that the common thread is a need to improve communication between City residents and their government. Tax rates can’t come down without a community-wide conversation about where spending cuts are acceptable. We aren’t going to make a dent in the issue of homelessness without an understanding of impacts and priority needs. Problems don’t get solved in a vacuum - the City needs leadership that creates and maintains a standard of effective, accessible communication, both with residents and amongst them.