I grew up in rural southern Oregon on land originally inhabited by the ewksiknii (Klamath) people. Our elders teach us that your life should honor your ancestors. I descend from people who survived boarding school, fought for the survival of our people, and worked tirelessly to ensure that our tribe got the very best outcome possible from ceding our homelands. Every day, I wake up and strive to honor the sacrifices they made for our people. To mirror their strength and resilience. Because I have privilege that most of our people don’t. And I will use it to honor my ancestors by being an Indigenous voice in government.

My career has been in emergency services. I started out as a volunteer firefighter while in college as a way of serving my community. Most people think the most impressive part of my current job is when I get in a helicopter and save lives. But I am most proud of the work I do as a Social Responsibility & Belonging Advisor. Because I get to help our company engage in meaningful ways with the communities we serve, engage in health equity practices, and build a workplace where every employee feels like a valuable member of the team.

I’m not a politician. I am ewksiknii and moadoknii, a person of the lake and of the south. I’ve never had to question who I am or what I stand for. It is in my bones and dictates how I show up in the world. We are a people who protect the land and people. We build community and take care of each other. We value wisdom and hard work. We fight for what is good. We live honorable lives. And that’s why I’m running for Deschutes County Commissioner. I am ready to make the changes our community needs towards a government that honors our land and unapologetically champions the people who work and have made lives here.