ISSUE PRIORITIES
Public Safety & Police
Lisa brings a wealth of experience to the table, thanks to her service as a military policewoman in the Air Force. This background provides her with a unique lens through which she approaches the challenges faced by our community in terms of growing crime rates. Recognizing that crime prevention requires a multifaceted approach, Lisa supports innovative policies such as the mental health co-response model. This model advocates for a collaborative response to mental health crises and individuals experiencing homelessness. She also would like to see earlier intervention and response for low-level crimes to ensure crime does not grow in the community and our neighbors feel safe.
Additionally, Lisa firmly believes in programs that aim to lift people out of poverty and foster self-sufficiency as a means to reduce crime occurrences. She is a strong advocate for initiatives like One Small Step programs and supervised transitional housing, as they have shown promising results in empowering individuals and improving community safety. With her diverse experience and dedication to finding practical solutions, Lisa is committed to making our community safer and more prosperous for all.
Healthcare
Older adults and disabled persons are often overlooked in the community as they retire but Lisa has worked hard to support and promote aging in place. This was a promise she made to her grandmother who died of Alzheimer's and has continued to advocate on behalf of older adults through Jefferson County and State level boards and committees.
As a case manager, Lisa worked in low income communities, assisted living homes, and direct in-home care, she understands how important it is to build communities that work for all our healthcare needs - from growing our healthcare provider base, to simplifying the process of applying and requesting care.
As a new mom, Lisa sees the challenges mothers face trying to get propeor healthcare for themselves and their kids. Lisa supports expanding preventative healthcare coverage and strong early childhood support to set our kids and future up for success!
Lisa supports community-based services that save taxpayers thousands by keep individuals off the streets and out of the hospitals. She will continue to work hard to reform the way we approach healthcare for our disabled and low-income people to ensure an inclusive environment for all by supporting earlier interventions, proactive engagement and education, to streamlining and simplifying the supportive healthcare services.
Innovative Community & Housing Development
Lisa believes that the best ideas and policies come from communities and organizations working together. Much of her background has been around housing advocacy. She worked to pilot a home-sharing program giving young adults a chance at living affordable to save for that first house!
Lisa supports policies that promote supportive housing structures, micro-loans, first-time homebuyer programs, nursing home reintegration and smart zoning that allows for creative solutions around housing. She understands the need to simplify and streamline the development process as well as simplify the zoning policy to allow for smaller community developers to improve and grow our housing stock.
These ideas will promote fair housing and save taxpayer dollars in Colorado. Lisa will work towards these goals through community partnerships, efficient resource collaboration, and an increase in grant applications.
Lisa focuses on cross-sector strategies to ensure proper response to emergency situations and promote healthy eco-practices to reduce waste and pollution. She wants to enable and empower collaborative work from local, county and state officials. There needs to be a united approach to enable better emergency and climate policy.
Lisa believes that expanding mitigation programs, stronger recycling and emission-reduction programs, educational programs, and waste reduction programs like "smart water sensors" and efficient appliance exchanges are ways to help educate and reduce waste of our precious water supply.
Our Children’s Future
Lisa became a mom in 2023 and is even more passionate about our children now than ever. In the past, she has worked on programs serving vulnerable and disabled, persons, ensuring that these programs are effective and equitable.
She's mentored Colorado children with developmental disabilities, implemented universal applications for homeless children within school systems, and developed a national ambassador program for higher education students.
Locally, Lisa works with Arvada High Schools doing mock interviews, presentations, and panels to students wanting to grow their skills and network. She believes the best way to stop poverty and move people towards self sufficiency is through strong educational roots, expanded school social supportive programs and early interventions. She will work towards promoting funding for the school systems to ensure every child is supported in their learning experience.
Emergency Mangagement & Climate Advocacy
Communities need strong leaders not just on the good days but on your worst. Lisa's background as a Military Policewoman and in the Emergency Management space for over 10 years has prepared her to advocate for public safety programs as well as understand how to work towards safe solutions to an ever-increasing climate challenge.
Lisa's has managed crisis at the city, county, state and international level. She has helped Colorado over the past decade during fires and floods as well as internationally during the war in Ukraine and Syrian refugee crisis. She recognizes the urgent need to move forward greener policies and ensuring communities are prepared for future natural disasters by implementing Wildfire Protection Planning Programs and educational programs.
Small Businesses
Lisa has spent the past few years immersing herself in the world of small businesses through the Arvada Chamber of Commerce and meeting over 100 local businesses to learn of the challenges they face today. When COVID started, Lisa manufactured over 120 gallons of free sanitizer in her backyard and donated it to help businesses remain open.
She understands barriers and challenges in local businesses and how smart policy can play a role in their success. She understands that policy is not a "one size fits all" in regards to businesses of different sizes, something her brother who owns a venue and restaurant instilled in her. Additionally, she would like to see a growth in women and minority-owned businesses.
Lisa believes in incentivizing businesses towards climate and employee friendly workplaces rather than unfunded mandates and punitive policies.
Veterans
Since leaving the military, Lisa has spent years supporting Veterans directly through case management at CSU, building mentorship programs, expanding fellowship programs and advocating for more Veteran resources. She has served on Congressman Perlmutter’s Veterans Advisory Council and is part of Jefferson County Veterans Democratic group, VETI. She is part of nonpartisan groups such as Veterans for Political Innovation, Team Rubicon, VoteVets, and New Politics. She would like to see programs that support hiring of our Veterans and stronger transitional programs into our STEM, trade and vocational careers.
