About
My interest in politics began with health care legislation in the early 1980’s while working at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. My involvement consisted of writing a few letters as there was no time to be an activist, my husband Tom and I were busy starting our family. We had three sons in two and a half years. Tom was a medical resident at the time so between three babies and his call schedule, politics would have to wait.
In 1992 Bill Clinton entered the national political scene. Did you ever have a visceral reaction to someone? That happened when I saw Bill Clinton and, from stuffing envelopes to running campaigns, I have been busy in politics ever since.
Political Experience:
- 1994 - Congressman Rick Santorum asked me to serve as the Westmoreland County Volunteer Coordinator. I had no idea what that meant but it turned out to be a positive experience in many ways. We put a great team of volunteers together and many of those same people are still important in my life. Friends like Debbie and Ron Irwin, Bob and Sonnie Davidson, Chuck and Rosemary Horvat, Judy and Lon Sinemus, John and Mary Jo Silvis, George and Lil Reynolds, Lois and Gerry Geer, Eileen Melvin, and the list goes on.
- 1994-Present - Westmoreland County Republican Committee Person
- 1996-2000 - Elected as the Westmoreland County Republican Committee Chair and served two terms.
- 1998-2002 - Served as the PAGOP Southwestern Pennsylvania Caucus Chair.
- 2000-Present - Elected three times to the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania
- 2000 - Appointed as an alternate delegate to the 2000 Republican National Convention.
- 2000 - Appointed by Governor Tom Ridge as a Presidential Elector.
- 2001 - Managed the conferee process for the nomination of State Senator Jane Orie and US Congressman Bill Shuster for their elected offices.
- 2003-2006 - Served on the board of the Anne Anstine Series which promotes leadership roles for women in politics.
Professional Experience:
- 1999-2000 - Appointed by Governor Tom Ridge to serve on the Post Secondary Higher Education Commission.
- 2000 - After serving as the Westmoreland County Chair for countless national and statewide candidates, I took a paid job for the first time in 15 years working as the SWPA Political Director for Senator Rick Santorum.
- 2001-2007 - Elected to the Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors. Chairwoman from 2005, 2006, 2007
- 2002 - Governor Mark Schweiker’s Director for Southwestern Pennsylvania.
- 2002 - Governor’s Ex Officio proxy on the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees.
- 2003 - Managed 84 Lumber founder Joe Hardy’s successful county commissioner campaign.
- 2004 - SWPA Field Director Bush/Cheney ‘04
- 2004 - 2005 - Presidential Inaugural Committee, Public Liaision for Governors and statewide Elected Officials
- 2005 - 2006 - In 2005 I began Ward Strategies. Since that time the company has been contracted by numerous elected officials such as Senator Rick Santorum and Congressman Tim Murphy, for fundraising and political consulting and by businesses for business networking and public relations.
- 2007 - Elected to the Westmoreland County Board of Commissioners.
Family:
Our sons Matthew and Tom 
