Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your family.
I married my best friend from high school, and we are the proud parents of four amazing children. We have three boys – 19, 16, 12, and a girl 10 who are very active in sports. We enjoy spending time traveling and being active together. I have a demanding job, but I am lucky to get lots of support from my husband and our parents. I have coached my daughter’s Northampton Cheer team for the past four years. I am addicted to exercise and weightlifting, so you will see me at the NAC M-F at 5:30 AM. I like to sleep until 7 on the weekends 🙂
 Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career.
I have worked in drug development for the past 26 years. I started as a Clinical Research Associate, traveling around the US teaching research clinics how to operationalize oncology drug development protocols. I progressed through the pharmaceutical industry in different facets of global research and development mainly focused on finding new treatments for Oncology patients (scientist, licensing & acquisitions, project manager, trial leader, and program leader). Today, I am a Global Operations Head in Oncology for Janssen R&D, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson. I lead a team of talented trial and program leaders who set the strategy for and run the most complicated oncology studies for Janssen.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
I am grateful to have a job with a very clear purpose. We work every day to bring new cancer treatments to patients in need.
Q: Can you tell us about what you do with the Northampton cheer team?Â
I have been coaching my daughter’s cheer team for the last 4 years. I cheered when I was younger, but I did not have experience coaching. We showed up to her first practice to learn that they did not have coaches for the team. I volunteered alongside another amazing mom, Jacki Higginson. We have some girls who have been around for the whole 4 years and new girls are added every year. As a team, we work hard on the concepts of goal setting and team building. We, of course, also work on their athletic skills and having fun together. The girls had one big goal of making it to the national competition in Orlando. We wanted them to understand the sacrifices they would have to make to meet their goals. Our season starts in August and is full of football games and competitions. The girls had to learn a complicated 2.5min routine for our big Bucks and Montgomery County competition. It was worth all of the hard work because the girls came together and placed first in the competition. Since they won this competition, they progressed on to Eastern Regionals- which they also won. This was so exciting for us as a team because it meant the girls met their goal and were going to nationals in Orlando Florida. We fundraised a ton and the girls really stepped up to make their dreams a reality. They did so well in Orlando and worked so hard. While they did not place with the top few teams at nationals, they were amazing. The girls made a goal this year and crushed it. I was so proud of the team and all of their hard work. It is really such a joy to get to work with this team.
Q: What is a “Must do” for someone visiting our community?
If someone visits, I recommend taking a hike through Tyler State Park in the fall, having a drink at the quaint bar at Relic in Newtown; check out the gorgeous altar at St. Bede’s church.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Costa Rica – you can zip line, ride a quad, see wild monkeys, white water raft, take surf lessons and eat great food. The country has the best hospitality in the world!
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Yellowstone and The Crown
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Do your best to find something special about everyone you meet. Focus on the positives in every experience. Travel now, you never know what tomorrow may bring.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Ski in the Alps
Q: What is your favorite band or music genre?
My favorite band is Coldplay. I listen to most genres, except country.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would love to have lunch with the Sixers’ star Tyrese Maxey.  I love his energy on and off the court. He is unbelievably humble and has an amazing work ethic. I’d like advice on how to teach these traits to kids today. I would probably meet him at a smaller, quiet place, like Cafe Madison.
Q: What are some of your favorite things about our community?
The people (we have so many people willing to donate their time and energy to making our community better). I was able to witness this firsthand this year. The community and the parents were so supportive of the girls during their run to Nationals. The parents and coaches from other teams jumped in to help the girls learn the hard work of fundraising and help us plan. We even had some teachers come and watch them at the Easter Regional competition in Trenton.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
In 10 years, I should have my youngest graduating from high school. While it’s sad to think about that, I would like to see each of my kids transforming into functional, happy, healthy members of society (while I enjoy time in the mountains and at the beach).
Q: What is something interesting that even your friends of family may not know about you?
I am addicted to listening to Podcasts of all sorts on my way to work.
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
Thanksgiving – It is a relaxed time where we can focus on what is most important in the world – family.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My family inspires me the most.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Fresh brewed coffee in the morning; candles that remind me of Christmas
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Love, laughing, crazy.