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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Education

  • PhD, Sociology, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1992
  • JD, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1991

Professional Experience

  • PhD, Sociology, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1992
  • JD, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1991
  • Professor/Director, University of Wyoming, Gender and Women’s Studies Program, 1992-present
  • Grant Reviewer, State Division of Victim Services
  • Consultant, Wyoming Council for the Humanities

Political Experience

  • PhD, Sociology, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1992
  • JD, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1991
  • Professor/Director, University of Wyoming, Gender and Women’s Studies Program, 1992-present
  • Grant Reviewer, State Division of Victim Services
  • Consultant, Wyoming Council for the Humanities
  • Minority Floor Leader, Wyoming State House of Representatives, 2017-present
  • Representative, Wyoming State House of Representatives, District 13, 2008-present
  • Former Minority Caucus Chair, Wyoming State House of Representatives
  • Candidate, Wyoming State House of Representatives, District 13, 2020

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Appropriations Committee, Wyoming State House of Representatives

Former Member, Management Audit Committee, Wyoming State House of Representatives

Former Member, Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration, Wyoming State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Capitol Building Restoration Oversight Group

Member, Council of State Governments West Executive Council

Member, Department of Family Services Advisory Council

Member, Educational Attainment Executive Council

Member, Education Committee

Member, Joint Committee on Revenue

Member, Joint Committee on Rules and Procedures

Member, Joint Management Council

Member, National Conference of State Legislatures Communications, Financial Services & Interstate Commerce Committee

Member, Select Committee on Coal/Mineral Bankruptcies

Member, State Workforce Investment Board

Member, Wyoming's Tomorrow Task Force

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • PhD, Sociology, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1992
  • JD, State University of New York, Buffalo, 1991
  • Professor/Director, University of Wyoming, Gender and Women’s Studies Program, 1992-present
  • Grant Reviewer, State Division of Victim Services
  • Consultant, Wyoming Council for the Humanities
  • Minority Floor Leader, Wyoming State House of Representatives, 2017-present
  • Representative, Wyoming State House of Representatives, District 13, 2008-present
  • Former Minority Caucus Chair, Wyoming State House of Representatives
  • Candidate, Wyoming State House of Representatives, District 13, 2020
  • Former Member, Albany County SAFE Project, Board of Directors
  • Board Member, Cancer Control Task Force
  • Member/Chair, Parent Board, Whiting Alternative High School
  • Former Member, United Gays and Lesbians of Wyoming
  • Member, Wage Gap Policy Group, State Department of Workforce Services
  • Member, Labor & Economic Development Committee, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 2009-2010
Policy Positions

Wyoming State Legislative Election 2016 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Spending & Tax

State Spending:

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Environment
- Maintain Status

4. Health care
- Greatly Increase

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Maintain Status

7. Welfare
- Slightly Increase

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes:

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Cigarette taxes
- Greatly Increase

2. Gas/Oil taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Property taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Do you support applying sales taxes to all online purchases?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- We need a spending plan from our savings before the consideration of increased taxes.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Do you support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- Yes

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

5. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

6. Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

5. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

7. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

8. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

9. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- Yes

10. Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them?
- No

11. Other or expanded principles
- For many of these issues, the devil is in the details. My answers are my general leanings but could change based on the details of the proposed program.

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- Yes

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- No Answer

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Wyoming high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- Question C doesn't make sense...Wyoming has a continuing contract, not tenure, system.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Wyoming's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

6. Do you support increased regulations of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- A. I'm in favor of economic development in the renewable energy field.C. We must address the issue of transmission lines.F. Disclosure of fracking fluid is a health issue.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- The best options here are accepting Medicaid expansion, and universal access to health insurance.

Social

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Wyoming's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Wyoming's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I also support different-sex marriage :)

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- 1. A budget that puts the needs of people at the center.2. Maintain and expand high quality education from pre-school through university.3. Increase opportunities for economic development with high paying jobs.

State Bills