Candidate Profiles

My top priorities are rooted in both the urgent needs residents are facing and the commitments the city has already made in its Strategic Plan.

Government Responsiveness & Trust:
Too often, city processes feel slow, opaque, or inaccessible. I want to improve how the city engages with residents, making it easier to understand decisions, provide input, and access services. Building trust requires responsiveness, accountability, and proactive communication that makes sense to the people we serve.

Housing & Neighborhoods:
Iowa City has a growing housing affordability crisis. Too many residents are rent-burdened or unable to find housing that fits their needs. I will work to expand affordable and diverse housing options by supporting zoning reform, streamlining permitting, and encouraging mixed-income development. At the same time, I want to ensure our neighborhoods remain safe, walkable, and welcoming by investing in infrastructure like sidewalks, transit, stormwater systems, and parks, across the whole city, not just in areas of new growth.

Accountability to the Strategic Plan:
The city has a strong Strategic Plan, but residents don’t always see how decisions connect to it. I will push for clear public reporting, transparent metrics, and regular progress updates so we can measure results and hold ourselves accountable. Residents deserve to know not only what goals the city has set, but whether we’re meeting them.

When we prioritize housing, we strengthen the foundation for everything else: economic opportunity, safe neighborhoods, strong schools, and the sense of belonging that makes Iowa City such a special place to live. Housing is the first thing every one of us pays for, and when it becomes unaffordable or unstable, it creates stress that ripples out into every other part of life. It affects whether families can put food on the table, whether workers can stay close to their jobs, whether seniors can age in place, and whether our neighborhoods stay vibrant and connected. Addressing our housing need isn’t just about buildings, it’s about stability, opportunity, and the health of our entire community.

The City Council can help by taking a proactive approach: rezoning for more diverse housing types, encouraging mixed-income developments, and ensuring that growth strengthens neighborhoods instead of displacing longtime residents. Just as important, the Council must hold itself accountable to the Affordable Housing Action Plan as well as our Strategic Plan and make progress visible through clear reporting and public engagement.

In my work leading nonprofits and managing complex budgets, I’ve had to make tough financial decisions during times of trial. What I’ve learned is that budgets are ultimately about values: when resources are tight, it becomes even more important to stay focused on our top priorities.
For Iowa City, that means protecting the services that residents rely on most, safe and welcoming neighborhoods, affordable housing initiatives, and infrastructure, while being willing to take a hard look at programs, processes, or expenses that aren’t delivering the outcomes we desire. I would approach cuts the way I always have: by starting with a clear-eyed analysis of what outcomes matter most, engaging stakeholders in the conversation, and ensuring that reductions don’t fall disproportionately on our most vulnerable residents.
Budget cuts are never easy, but thoughtful leadership can turn them into an opportunity to sharpen focus and strengthen accountability. My commitment would be to protect core community priorities, maintain transparency about trade-offs, and ensure that residents can trust the city to manage resources responsibly, even in difficult times.

Iowa City faces a clear and pressing need for affordable and diverse housing options. The City Council has a responsibility to ensure that all residents can find safe, stable, and reasonably priced housing. This is not just a housing issue; it’s about community stability, economic opportunity, and the ability of residents to fully participate in Iowa City life.

As a Council member, I would prioritize actions that make housing more attainable and inclusive. This includes supporting zoning reforms and policies that allow for a wider variety of housing types, incentivizing mixed-income developments, and protecting long-term residents from displacement as our city grows. I would also ensure the city is accountable to its Affordable Housing Action Plan, tracking progress, reporting metrics publicly, and engaging the community in decision-making so that solutions reflect real needs.

Ultimately, the Council’s role is to create the conditions where housing supports, not hinders, our residents’ lives. By aligning resources, policy, and accountability, we can ensure that Iowa City remains a place where everyone has a chance to put down roots and thrive.

I support the LOST ballot measure because it provides permanent, designated funding for critical community priorities like affordable housing and our local partners. In the face of financial uncertainty at the state level, these funds ensure that programs supporting our most vulnerable residents, strengthening neighborhoods, and building long-term community stability can continue without interruption. It’s a responsible, forward-looking investment in Iowa City’s residents and future.

Regional collaboration is absolutely critical. Big challenges like the affordable housing crisis, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability cannot be solved by Iowa City alone. For example, to meet our housing needs, Iowa City would need to be building roughly one housing unit every day, a scale of development that requires coordination, resources, and partnerships beyond city limits.

Collaboration with neighboring municipalities, county agencies, state partners, and nonprofit and private sector organizations allows us to share resources, align policies, and create innovative solutions that are bigger than any one organization or government entity could achieve alone.
If elected, I will actively foster these partnerships, ensuring that Iowa City is not working in isolation.

Being responsive to residents is central to how I will lead. I will prioritize listening through community conversations, neighborhood meetings, and regular office hours, ensuring residents can connect directly with me about their concerns and ideas. Residents can also expect clear, consistent communication, even outside of election season, via email updates, social media, and other accessible channels to stay informed about city initiatives, progress toward priorities like housing and infrastructure, and important decisions.

I see a future where residents feel genuinely welcomed into decision-making, where creativity is used to solve complex challenges, and where true collaboration moves us from plans on paper to real progress. My goal is to make sure that everyone in Iowa City has a voice and can see their input reflected in the work of the City Council.

My experience as a facilitator and organizational leader has taught me that productive collaboration starts with curiosity, a willingness to understand differing perspectives, and the commitment to finding common ground. I approach disagreements as opportunities to uncover shared goals and identify practical solutions that move everyone forward.

On City Council, I will focus on building respectful, professional relationships with colleagues, emphasizing clear communication, transparency, and a solutions-oriented approach. Even when opinions differ, my goal will be to ensure that discussion leads to action, compromise, and results that benefit Iowa City as a whole.

While the county has decided not to move forward with a joint law enforcement facility, the broader principle remains: any major investment in public safety should be deliberate, transparent, and grounded in community input. Large-scale projects carry significant financial, governance, and long-term implications, and Iowa City must ensure that decisions align with the city’s Strategic Plan, including priorities like diversion, alternatives to incarceration, and rethinking public safety.

As a council member, I will advocate for processes that put residents first, allowing time for education, dialogue, and input, so that the community’s voice truly shapes outcomes. Even if a joint facility is no longer on the table, this approach of transparency, accountability, and alignment with city priorities should guide how Iowa City considers future public safety investments.

Iowa City’s transportation system is a critical part of daily life, and improvements should focus on accessibility, reliability, and sustainability. Streets and trails should be maintained and upgraded to ensure safe, walkable, and bikeable neighborhoods, with strong connections that encourage active transportation.

Public transit has already seen a major improvement through making bus service fare-free, removing a significant barrier for residents. The next step is to determine what other obstacles—like route coverage, frequency, or access to stops—prevent people from using transit as a regular, convenient option.

Ultimately, transportation planning should reflect the city’s values: safety, equity, and sustainability. Investments should prioritize solutions that serve all residents, reduce barriers to mobility, and support a healthy, connected, and thriving community.

As someone who has managed budgets and led organizations through change, I know the importance of balancing opportunity with accountability. Decisions about incentives should be transparent, data-driven, and evaluated continuously to ensure public investments deliver meaningful results.

When considering tax incentives, the most important criteria should be community impact, housing and job creation, sustainability, and alignment with city priorities. Incentives should be measured against clear, measurable outcomes: Are new jobs being created? Are local residents benefiting? Does the project strengthen neighborhoods, housing availability, or other city priorities? Public funds should only be allocated when there is demonstrable value to the community and when incentives clearly advance long-term economic stability and equity.