The Organization
La Organizacion

Beaver Dam has been home since 1998. My partner and I raised four children here and know what it is like to struggle to make ends meet and have community support for things like school supplies and Christmas gifts. I count it my privilege to be able to head up the Playground Movement to help our families thrive, empower our youth to make a difference, create a shared communal space, and bring our community together in that effort.

Moving into a new community during a pandemic could be seen as questionable but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made. Starting that journey at the ReStore as a part of Laura’s team is another which is where I was introduced to Playground Movement and what they meant to this community. While I now work at Inter-Quest as their Esports program lead, I will never forget the amazing community that I got started with here in Beaver Dam and was happy to accept the role as Treasurer to both stay involved and grow more in my professional goals.

Though I was born & raised in Milwaukee, Beaver Dam has been home to me and my family for the last 18 years. Since moving here, I have felt a draw to be involved in our community, helping to engage children from all walks of life, and striving to be someone kids can count on to be involved in their lives. My history in BD includes running Lincoln Elementary's after-school program, Adult ELL instructor at MPTC, and 7th grade ELA teacher at BDMS. I am currently working as a children's book author and restaurant server while finding opportunities to volunteer and give back to the community that supported my own children.

Beaver Dam is my “home away from home” as I have worked here, making big cool stuff happen with and in community, since 2019. Changing the conditions to making it easier for people to be healthy and thrive is why I do what I do. Currently I’m a Community Engagement Coordinator with Noble Community Clinics. In my spare time, I teach dance classes at a studio in Lomira and hang out with my dairy-farmer husband and two young daughters.

Community has always been at the heart of what I do — during my career in sales working with national accounts, I made it a priority to stay rooted locally through involvement with local organizations, helping plan fundraisers and serving on the board.

A few years ago, my husband and I started volunteering at the Food is Free Community Garden, and what began as a simple volunteer shift grew into something much more. I was asked to serve as chair of the garden, and that work naturally led me to joining the board. I believe strong communities are built one shared space at a time — and I'm excited to help make Beaver Dam a place where kids and families can play, grow, and thrive together.

I started volunteering with Playground Movement in 2021 when I was part of the community gardens committee. I volunteered each week watering, harvesting and tending to the gardens. It was my first big breakthrough into volunteering and the first time I felt that I had a role in this great community. In 2023, Laura Goral offered me the position of the Youth Lead in the Global Youth Service Day Food Drive. Rounding up many businesses, volunteers, and youth, we were able to feed 100 families with 86 pounds of food. The GYSD Food Drive has been incredible to work on and It has opened my eyes to the amazing connections that are made when we work together to solve real world issues It is an honor to be the Secretary for Playground Movement and I can’t wait to see where PMBD goes in the next couple years!