What is your story? How did you end up in Milwaukee?

I grew up in a Chicago suburb and then moved with my family when I was 12 to a small town in southern Minnesota. After high school, I moved to Kenosha to go to Carthage College, but then when my dad took a teaching job at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, I transferred to complete my biochemistry degree there. I bought a house the year after I graduated and I’ve been in Milwaukee ever since.

What keeps you in Milwaukee/What do you like best about Milwaukee?

Milwaukee is my little big city. I love that I can drive anywhere in the city in 15 minutes or less, and there is so much to do whether it’s going to museums, festivals, beaches, restaurants, or sporting events. The food and event scene is constantly growing, and if you have an open mind to trying new things, you’ll never be at a loss for something fun to do!

Favorite spot in the city?

The Milwaukee Art Museum is my favorite indoor spot, especially for yoga or MAM After Dark. During summer, I make it a point to spend every free moment outside, which is easy to do here! Whether it’s bringing a picnic to Chill on the Hill or Jazz in the Park, taking a book or a volleyball to Bradford Beach, or having drinks on one of the many patios around the city, I love it all.

Milwaukee festival you are eager to attend each year?

I’m a total sucker for the Wisconsin State Fair: food on a stick, music, people watching, giant slide, pig races… What’s not to love?

What drew you to Echelon?

I kept seeing different events featured on social media and wondered what Echelon was all about. When I finally looked it up, I knew right away that I wanted to be part of this organization that is doing such great work around Milwaukee, which has such a great need for the services that The Salvation Army offers.

What struggles do you see our city dealing with? What can our generation do to help?

Milwaukee has a great deal of opportunity for improvement of public health. We need to do a better job of providing the tools and resources to educate and empower our communities to become healthier. There are so many influencing factors, such as the recent issue of lead contamination or limited access to healthful foods, but we can start with improving outreach, communication, and support so that we can build trust between communities and their leaders.