The responses to these questions were edited for length and clarity by the Georgia Decides team. Each candidate was allotted 150 words for each answer and some answers were trimmed in order to abide by that length requirement. Other edits were made to make sure readers can fully follow and understand the candidate responses.

Campaigning for: State Senate District 6

How does your background equip you for the job you are seeking?

As an attorney at a large corporation, I focus my time on resolving problems by identifying the root causes of issues and working with a cross-functional team to permanently address them. I also have nine years of policy and governance experience on the Atlanta school board, which will help me hit the ground running.

As a legislator, I will use that experience to focus on the issues that matter to Georgians the most and solving them.

What role should government have in the lives of Georgians? How would you apply that philosophy to the job you are seeking?

I firmly believe that government should be a reflection of the people that it serves. As such, government should reflect the diversity of Georgia, but also set the direction and vision for a bright future for all Georgians through policy, laws, and regulations. I also believe that government must serve as a safety net for people, whether that means advancing policies that create jobs or expanding Medicaid.

I am entering the state senate to fight for a strong public education system, access to affordable healthcare, a thriving economy, and a healthy, livable state that is welcoming and inclusive to all.

If you are elected (or re-elected), what problems will you spend the most time solving and why?

As a parent, school board member, and former public school teacher, I believe in the power of a strong public education system and I know that Georgia cannot thrive without improving our schools. I will advocate for fully funding public schools (which has only been done a few times in the last twenty years), supporting the work of local school districts to close opportunity gaps, and expanding early learning programs for two and three-year-olds.

Georgia is a politically diverse state. How will you work to represent Georgians whose political views differ from your own?

Regardless of your political view, the vast majority of people agree on most issues. I will work to focus on issues that really matter to everyday Georgians, like the economy, healthcare, and public education, instead of focusing on the divisive issues that often get headlines.

Who has been the biggest influence on how you view state government and politics? What have you learned from this person?

My mom is the biggest influence on my life in general. She taught me early on to serve my community and to treat others how I want to be treated. Those are philosophies that will guide the way I legislate and ultimately hope that its how government will operate in this state.

Georgia has a lot to offer current and potential residents, but many parts of the state are becoming increasingly unaffordable. Please explain your proposed approach to address housing affordability through legislation and executive actions?

There are many ways to tackle the housing affordability issue that is impacting most of the state, but I would focus on the fact that Georgia is one of the most landlord-friendly states in the country, which has resulted in out-of-state (and foreign) companies buying up a significant number of single family homes. These companies buy homes at higher prices than most Georgians, which has increased the cost of buying a house. These companies also rent these homes out at much higher prices, which increase the cost to rent in the state.

We need to do what we can through legislative and executive actions to ensure Georgians own homes in this state, not corporations.

Politics is often about compromise. How do you decide when to compromise and take small, incremental wins, and when to refuse compromise?

Incremental wins are, in fact, wins. And I will always try to move toward progress for Georgians. Deciding when to compromise will depend on the circumstances, but I will never refuse to listen. It’s important for me to know different perspectives.

There were politicians who questioned the outcomes of Georgia elections in 2018 and 2020. Do you think Georgia’s elections are secure and will you stand by the results?

I will absolutely stand by the results of the election. I have faith in our system and believe we should be doing more to expand access to the ballot box and make it easier for citizens to vote. I also like to remind voters that having an accessible and fair voting system and having a safe and secure voting system are not mutually exclusive. It is imperative that we have a system that is secure, but also fair and accessible to all eligible voters.

In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on abortion, state law and local enforcement authority will determine access to abortion. If elected, how will you use your authority in the state Senate to influence abortion access or enforcement of abortion restrictions?

I believe in the right to abortion access and will fight to repeal Georgia’s anti-abortion laws. I will also work to expand access to vital women’s health care through budget and legislative action.

Are there any programs/legislation you’ve sponsored or created to help people with disabilities?

I’m not in the legislature yet, but as a school board member I advocated for our students with disabilities. As a legislator, I will advocate to strengthen our special education system in this state. School districts across the state struggle to provide services to our students with special needs. The state has to strongly support those efforts.

Georgia closed out its budget year with a “likely record surplus, billions of dollars in federal aid and a growing economy.” Georgia spends more than half of this money on education and health care. What would you want to see in the budget in terms of spending or taxes?

We need to strengthen the safety net for everyday Georgians. That means fully funding public education, expanding HOPE and early learning, expanding medicaid, increasing mental health support, and addressing homelessness and other impacts of poverty.

The Legislature often votes along party lines. When would you seek bipartisan action and what issues merit such consensus?

I will always seek bipartisan solutions and believe that both parties can agree on most issues. Where a bipartisan solution is not feasible, I will work to act in a manner that benefits all Georgians.