I love telling the story of what brought me to Voce—not just once, but twice! I always had an interest in law but didn’t become a paralegal until later in life. After my kids were grown, I went back to school at Penn College in Williamsport. Initially, I took courses to work in the medical field. The medical program was not speaking to me. One day I was walking across campus and saw something about the college’s paralegal program. I was completely surprised, and the next thing I knew, I was talking with the professor in charge. He said, ‘You can start tomorrow!’ So, I did.

Child abuse prevention is a shared responsibility. Organizations like PennCAC and Voce are part of a broader network of care, supporting children from the moment abuse is disclosed to the point where they can experience stability and belonging.

"Growing up, there were always kids in my house. My mom comes from a large, blended family, and as a stay-at-home mom, she was often filling in for other moms when they needed some help. My mom was also the person who helped me understand my aunt and uncle’s foster son’s background and the hardships of abuse."

So I grew up in a log cabin in the woods somewhere near Bloomsburg and Wilkes-Barre originally, but I've lived all over PA. I went to college outside of Philly, then law school in Harrisburg, Jim Thorpe for a few years, and then I lived in Williamsport working in family law until recently. I really didn't plan to go into family law, which of course includes a lot of child welfare aspects, but when I found an opening for it, I realized that I was pretty good at the 'people' aspect of it.

I've always loved working in the legal field. I went to Clarion University for school, and I worked at a law office while I did. I started out studying education because I knew that I wanted to work with kids.

I’ve always been drawn toward social justice issues. I vibe off a cause. My master’s degree is in Labor Relations and earlier in my career, I lived near Harrisburg and worked in labor relations for the Commonwealth. Then my husband and I relocated to Pittsburgh and my attention shifted to raising our four kids.