What is your vision for Knoxville 10 years from now?

My vision for Knoxville is for our city to grow but to maintain our small town charm and cultural heritage. I hope it will be a place where families grow and choose to stay. I hope that Knoxville will continue to increase opportunities to all who seek them and are willing to put in the work to realize their dreams.

What is Knoxville’s Best Kept Secret?

Knoxville’s best kept secret is it’s people: friendly, kind, proud and freedom loving. That is why so many people are moving here!

What would you do to strengthen Knoxville?

To strengthen Knoxville, I would continue to improve our educational system first by encouraging passionate young people to enter the field of education, second by making sure all students have the opportunity to learn in a supportive and safe environment to discover their talents, and finally by involving families in the education system itself. Having educated citizens (whether through college or trades) is the foundation for a thriving community. By having teachers, students, parents and administrators working together, Knoxville will be stronger.

What is your favorite Knoxville memory?

Recent memory-Beating Alabama in 2023! Distant memory-My father bringing Regas strawberry shortcake to the hospital when my first son was born.

What is your favorite book or what book is currently on your nightstand?

The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter is probably my favorite book. The Dolly Parton Songteller book is on my nightstand.

What is the best advice you have received from a mentor, and who was that mentor?

Read. My grandmother rarely left her small town, but she traveled the world and learned so much from being a lifelong reader.

What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?

Be yourself, be kind, be able to laugh at yourself.