Favorite Tool: Tamper — a simple design that allows you to flatten soil like nothing else.

Favorite DIY project: A complete remodel of the main bathroom, including tiling the walls for a shower and installing a floor heater.

Why I wanted to get involved: NEPTL embodies a sense of place and community. People help each other, laugh together and aspire to make our neighborhoods better.

My Background: A Midwest transplant, I’ve been in Portland for more than 20 years and love living in the Pacific Northwest. I became a NEPTL member in 2009 and began volunteering soon after. I joined the board in 2012, served as secretary from 2015-2025, and am now board chair.