I know what opportunity can make possible.

I was born in Puerto Rico and grew up as the daughter of an Army Ranger. My childhood included plenty of moves and periods when money was tight. I remember teachers quietly helping me sign up for free lunch at school.

But I also grew up surrounded by people and institutions that invested in my potential.

When it came time for college, I was part of the first generation of students to benefit from Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship. Together with a Pell Grant, it gave me an opportunity that would change the trajectory of my life.

I went to the University of Georgia and kept going, eventually earning three degrees, including a Ph.D. in psychology.

That experience has stayed with me.

I know what can happen when good public policy reaches a real family at the right moment. I’m a living example of what good governance can look like for real people.

My career has been about understanding people and making things work better.

I began my career as a professor, teaching research methods and statistics and studying how people think, feel, and make decisions.

Later, I brought that analytical mindset to public service at the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluating healthcare programs and helping protect taxpayers from fraud, waste, and abuse.

For more than a decade, I’ve worked in user experience research, where my job is fundamentally about listening to people, understanding their needs, examining evidence, and helping organizations make better decisions. Today, I lead researchers doing that work.

Across academia, government, and the private sector, I’ve learned something that seems simple but is too often missing from politics: Good decisions begin with asking good questions, listening carefully, and being willing to follow the evidence.

That’s how I lead, and it’s how I intend to serve in the Georgia House.

Service has always mattered to me.

Long before I decided to run for office, I looked for ways to contribute to the communities around me.

I’ve served as Board Chair of Athena’s Warehouse, a nonprofit supporting young women, and as a member of the Zoning Review Board for the City of Atlanta. Those experiences gave me a close-up view of how decisions about development, neighborhoods, and local government affect people’s everyday lives.

They also reinforced my belief that public service should be exactly that: service.

Now I’m bringing that experience home.

Mike and I chose East Cobb as the place where we wanted to raise our children. Like so many parents, I think about the community they will inherit.

Will our public schools remain strong? Can young families afford to live here? Can seniors afford to stay in the homes and neighborhoods they love? Will growth be managed responsibly? Can people get the healthcare they need? And will our government still be capable of solving problems rather than simply arguing about them?

Those questions are deeply personal to me.

I’m running for State House because I believe House District 45 is ready for leadership that listens, learns, and gets to work.

I won’t pretend to have every answer. But I will bring curiosity, integrity, evidence, empathy, and a willingness to work with people who don't always agree with me.

East Cobb gave me a place to call home and opportunities that helped shape my life.

I’m ready to give back to our community.