I am your Republican Candidate for Wayne County Coroner, thanks to the encouragement of my many Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian friends. They’ve recruited me to bring transparency, compassion and experience to the Coroner’s office, which requires more of these qualities in times of great need.
I was born and raised in Wayne County, where I became an EMS Professional (Firefighter/EMT, now a paramedic) many years ago. Since then I’ve trained thousands of men and women to be first responders, in regional and municipal fire and police departments, and for the FBI and Indiana State Police, and served as a national consultant on Mass Casualty Planning and BioTerrorism. I have also managed hundreds of professionals at IU Health Methodist Hospital, Care Ambulance Services, Reid Health and many other like organizations.
I know how crucial it is for compassion and honesty to be the guiding force when death is the reason I am called, and grief is present. I became an EMS literally by accident: as a teenager, I rendered aid at the scene of a car wreck. The owner of the ambulance service encouraged me to be officially trained.
I was in college as a music major, but the challenge of emergency medical training beckoned to me. I changed my major and received a Bachelor of Science degree at Indiana Wesleyan University, somewhat to my mother’s dissatisfaction after 15 years of music lessons and scholarships. But the challenge of helping people has never lost its appeal for me, either to help save them as an EMS professional, or now, as a Deputy Coroner to help survivors handle a loved ones’ passing with dignity and empathy.
