Thank You for My Third Term
Despite a busy family and professional life, I'll be back.
Welp, it’s official. I’m back in office again! I hope you all voted for me!
I especially want to thank the AFSCME team for helping me get signatures and the South Central Federation of Labor for the endorsement. As I’ll explain more below, life has really taken some turns so my time is extraordinarily constrained these days; I literally couldn’t have done it without these folks’ help. THANK YOU!!!
First, I want to thank everyone that reached out to me during this last term. I’m grateful whenever constituents reach out. There have been a lot of big issues floating around, and I’m glad people feel like they can speak up and voice their opinion. I’m here for you, so the more data I have on what you want, the better I can be at my job.
Second, it’s been an interesting term. I’ve written about it pretty extensively so I won’t go over it again, but there have been a lot of ups and downs. We have a new County Executive which brings a new cast of characters to work with. I’ve been heavily involved in leadership behind the scenes, so things have felt very hectic at times. But I think we managed to get most of it right with this latest budget given our challenges. I’m hopeful that the County Executive leans into collaboration on the next budget so we can get out of this hole. I’ll have more to say on the Alliant Energy Center soon.
Finally, speaking of hectic. I have 3 kids who are 4.5, 6, and 8. At times this position has felt very overwhelming with work, kids, and the county. I considered very strongly whether to run or not. After discussing it at length with my family I will be back. I won’t be able to take on many of the leadership positions and I will need to dial back my committee participation, but I will continue.
Thank you so much for electing me to represent you. I’ve lived in this district for 14 years now and I’m still learning more about it every day. Y’all are awesome and together we’re making a real difference to make Dane County better!
And, finally, some thoughts before we go-go. I know we don’t speak much, so I wanted you to know a little more about me and how I work.
Election Day has arrived, and as I reflect on the work we’ve done together, I want to take a moment to say thank you. Not just for the votes, but for the partnership—the trust you’ve placed in me to tackle the hard questions, to stand up for what’s right, and to do the work, even when it’s not easy.
Leadership, to me, isn’t about the titles or the podiums. It’s about the problems we solve and the people we lift along the way. What matters isn’t who gets the credit, but that the work gets done—and that the communities we serve see the impact. Every project, every initiative, every tough decision is rooted in a simple question: Does this serve the people who need it most?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is how to navigate rules/laws/ordinances. Rules exist for a reason, but they must serve a purpose. "Rules exist to serve a purpose, but rules must be enforced." And when a rule doesn’t align with the public good, it’s not about breaking the rules; it’s about changing them. That’s why I ask myself: Is this rule serving the people it was meant to protect? If not, how do we make it right?
I hope you see that my approach isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about being the one who listens, who questions, and who acts—when it matters most. It’s about integrity. It’s about doing the job, not seeking the spotlight. And it’s about believing that the right work, done the right way, will always find its way forward.
Thank you for giving me the chance to serve. I’m honored to continue that work, and I promise to keep asking the hard questions, to keep fighting for what’s right, and to keep doing the work—no matter what.