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 My children are the fourth generation of my family to have lived on our property near Green Mountain Falls, where my father's ashes are scattered, along with the ashes of both his parents. I care deeply about this area and want to protect it for my children and grandchildren.
Protecting the area means caring for our beautiful, fragile environment. It also means promoting our economy so that there are good jobs available for those who want to live here. It means protecting and improving our public school system and supporting a first class higher education system to prepare our young citizens for a productive life in our community. And it means untying the knots in our State's financial system to allow for responsible management and maintenance of its infrastructure. These are all vital pieces of the whole, and it will take hard work and a delicate balance to address them all with our limited resources.
Since running for this office in 2006 I have looked for opportunities to increase my experience and expand my knowledge in several areas of public policy. I have expanded my involvement in improving public education at the local level by stepping up to the role of President of the Board of Education in Manitou Springs School District 14. I have also increased my involvement at the state level as a Director of the Colorado Association of School Boards by taking the chairmanship of the Federal Relations Network, working to improve communications between local boards of education and the United States Legislature on issues like No Child Left Behind and Special Education.
To increase my knowledge and connections in other areas I have taken the invitation to serve on the Citizen's Committee for Public Health and the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Citizen's Action Committee where I work to solve problems concerning public health and transportation.
I believe that my life experience has provided me with the tools necessary to make balanced, intelligent, responsible decisions on the behalf of the citizens of House District 21.
Democratic Candidate for Colorado House District 21, 2006
Colorado Association of School Boards, (CASB) Board of Directors 2005 to Present. CASB Representative for Region 6, which includes School Districts from Northern El Paso County almost to the New Mexico border.
- Worked with fellow CASB board members to create leadership goal and priorities and develop Colorado lobbying addenda for 2006 and 2007.
- Serves as Chair of CASB’s Federal Relations Network, developing lobbying priorities and lobbying plan for annual delegate trip to Washington D.C.
Board of Education, Manitou Springs District 14, 2003 to Present. Served as board Treasurer from 2003 to 2007. Elected Board President in November 2007. Major accomplishments of the Board of Education include:
- Completed a systemic review of district revenues and expenditures, and conducted a demographic study, which allowed the district to adjust for projected decreasing enrollment and cost increases that outpaced funding increases.
- Implemented budget adjustments and increases in efficiency that allowed the district to cut costs, while continuing high academic performance at all Manitou Springs District 14 schools. Several of these changes also resulted in Manitou Springs District 14 receiving an award from Governor Owens for energy efficiency.
- Worked with administrators to develop a ten-year, district capital maintenance plan, to avoid surprise maintenance and repair costs.
- Successfully passed a mil levy increase in 2006 to provide funds to the district to attract and retain quality teachers and improve maintenance of buildings and grounds.
- By providing excellent academic programs, well balanced athletic and extracurricular activities and a safe, caring learning environment, Manitou Springs School District became a “school of choice” where more that 30% of student enrollment comes from out of district.
Legislative Liaison, Board of Education, Manitou Springs District 14, 2003 to Present
- As Legislative Liaison, significantly improved the relationship between the Manitou Springs Board of Education and local lawmakers. Also worked to build a stronger relationship with other area Boards of Education.
- Attended numerous meetings to update and inform and educate district board, staff and parents of ongoing State and Federal legislation that impacts education in Colorado.
Board Member, Ute Pass Board of Cooperative Education Services 2003 to 2005
- Implemented and reviewed policy, budget, and organizational structure of new BOCES organization to provide shared, special education resources to the Woodland Park and Manitou Springs school districts at a reduced cost.
- Nurtured the Ute Pass BOCES through its first year of existence, and expanded the organization to include the Victor/Cripple Creek School District.
El Paso County Citizen's Committee for Public Health.
Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, Citizen's Advisory Committee.
Very active in the Manitou School District, serving on and leading a wide variety of committees. Involvement includes:
- Served on Election Steering Committee in 2000. Successfully promoted School Mill Levy increase and Capital Bond.
- Served on New Building Committee working with architects, engineers and educators to design elementary school addition that increased learning space, and enhanced student safety and administration efficiency within a limited budget.
- Took over and ran the Ute Pass Elementary After School Enrichment Program from 2000 to 2003. Increased student enrollment and class variety. Through careful financial management, and successful grant applications, more than doubled the number of scholarships available to financially needy children.
- Started, promoted and managed a printer cartridge recycling program at Ute Pass Elementary 1999 to 2003 which provided more than $10,000 of computer and athletic equipment to the elementary school at no cost to the taxpayer, while recycling a product that would usually go into local landfill sites.
Cost analyst and negotiator, N.A.S.A, Johnson Space Center
Procurement Specialist, Department of Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Senior Finance Clerk, Ford Aerospace, Colorado Springs, CO
Exec. Assistant, George Booker & Associates, Mortgage Specialists, Colo. Springs
Stock Broker, Blinder Robinson & CO, Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor of Science, Finance, UCCS.
Has Lived in El Paso County as child, college student and as adult. Family legacy in El Paso County goes back to 1920's. Married 19 years to Tom Lord: small business owner, consultant. Three children, ages: 16, 14 and 12.
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