The Backgrounder

This June will be 31 years since my husband and I moved to Beaumont, AB. That’s three decades in the same small but mighty community. I’m bilingual and speak fluent French and love the rich Francophone heritage, the small businesses that are inspired by our unique proposition and the people that add vibrancy to our community.

I was born and raised on Staten Island in NY City.

Ron and I were married in Otterburn Park, Quebec in 1971 where we both completed University and had our children, Bryce and Kim.

We moved to Alberta in 1979 when things in Quebec started to get difficult (these were the days of the FLQ crisis in Quebec). We first moved up north to live and teach in Kinuso - a very small northern community 3 hours north of Edmonton. After one year, we had job offers from Central Alberta and felt that it would be better for our young family to be in a less remote community.

I became the first Day Care Administrator for the City of Red Deer in 1981 and Ron was a school principal in Clive. After 9 great growing years there, we moved to Beaumont when Ron took on a teaching position at École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School as the Art Department head and I joined the City of Edmonton as their Children’s Services Director, and completed my Master’s Degree in Education at the University of Alberta. When I retired from the City of Edmonton in 2013, I had been there for 23 years as a senior leader of many different, human services-oriented units.

Today, while serving in my second term on City Council, I balance my family needs and continues to work as a Management Consultant and Early Learning and Child Care Coach. Currently, I am also an active volunteer for Empowering Women Entrepreneurs’ and River Watch Institute of Alberta.

Learn more about my volunteer + community involvement here.