What is a hobby or interest you picked up recently?

I love making my garden full of native flowers and plants. I've spent a lot of time planting and learning the scientific names of the flowers and fruits and vegetables!

It brings me joy, a lot of joy. It's also so good for the environment and the wildlife. I get to see birds and bees and butterflies and all that. It brings me a lot of joy to see things being nurtured and growing. It gives back to you. If you give to it, love it, it comes full circle.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My typical day is nothing out of the ordinary. I'm not a morning person, so if I had my choice, I would wake up well after ten o'clock. But since being a mother, I have to wake up at a certain time to get the day going. So I usually get up around 6:30.

I usually don't eat breakfast - which is really bad, I know! - but if I can, I make myself a chia seed drink. On work days, I rush out the door, head to the office, and dive into work. My days are full of people and activities and things to get done. As the Associate Director of the Coralville Community Food Pantry, I am constantly moving: talking to families, helping volunteers, organizing events. I see so many of people every day.

My 5 to 9 is often full of City Council responsibilities, whether its meeting with community members, Council meetings, or otherwise. After that I go home, and I usually go to bed pretty late. I'm a night owl, so two, three o'clock is normal. I know, so late! 

But I'm a busy body. I just feel like I have to make use of the day that I have. And there's always a feeling of having less time than I need. There is so much to do for our community. I guess that's the reason I stay up late - thinking of all the things to be done!

What's something you enjoy doing in your free time, other than gardening?

In my free time, I love to take walks, especially if I can take a hike in a wooded area that leads to a body of water. I love to forage, not necessarily for food, but just to learn more about what is edible or not edible out there. It's interesting to know about those plants. And then when I get a chance to go elsewhere, I can compare and see if a different environment makes different things thrive. That’s something I reflect on in my work as well: how do we foster a healthy Coralville that helps everyone thrive?