08/07/2026
Grateful to be part of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellowship with the Hunt Institute — surrounded by leaders who understand something I’ve carried with me since my time on the Rockford Education Committee: you can’t talk about education without talking about mental health. They’re not separate conversations. A child can’t learn in a classroom if we’re not also caring for what’s going on in their mind.
Governor Jim Hunt said it best: “Education can’t be just another thing we do. It’s the most important thing we do.” I’d add this: you can’t do that work well if you’re not also caring for the whole person. That’s why I’ve sat on the Higher Education Committee in Springfield — because opportunity isn’t just about access to a classroom. It’s about making sure our kids and our communities have what they need to actually be well enough to use it.
Creating opportunities everywhere, for everyone.
