Councilwoman, thank you so much for your time. We know that our readership would love to learn more about you and appreciate that you’ve given us the opportunity to show them.
For any newly elected official, there is always some disconnect between what they thought the position would be and what it actually is. What has been a pleasant surprise for you in your first few months on the Scottsdale City Council?
It’s a real pleasure to work with a team that is focused on delivering the highest quality city we can for our residents. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see how many residents reach out to us with their issues, concerns, and ideas. And it’s been really fun to follow up with the team at the city, who are helping to deliver solutions to our residents. We’ve worked with residents on navigating permitting issues, keeping neighborhoods safe, adding sidewalks, concepts for Civic Center, and more. It’s fun to work together and focus on putting our residents first.
You won outright in the July primary – which means you captured the majority of the vote with 9 people in the race – that’s quite a feat! And as a non-incumbent, that’s really rare. To what do you attribute your success?
Oh my gosh, it is such an honor! The residents of Scottsdale have been incredibly welcoming and I am truly humbled. You may have heard that I knocked thousands of doors with my Dad. Together with my volunteers, we knocked over 4,000 doors and spoke with so many people. We have incredibly well-informed residents who are focused on keeping Scottsdale the most beautiful and charming city in the state of Arizona. In addition to knocking doors, my volunteers and I hand-wrote 9,000 postcards. And I truly believe that those personal touches help residents feel like they know me, share my values, and they responded with their vote.
Before your time in politics you had a successful career in law. Have you found that that experience has given you any sort of additional insight into the workings of the city or the city council? Or how they could work better?
Working in a corporate environment was excellent training. The city of Scottsdale has a $1.2 Billion operation budget and 2,700 employees – it’s a large organization and operates much like a corporation. Years of management experience have allowed me to quickly learn the ropes and get up to speed. At the same time, my legal training has allowed me to dive into the laws and ordinances that drive the city. With that insight, I’m able to dig in and determine where we can make adjustments and improvements.
So while this is a non-partisan council, it’s no secret that there are some partisan leanings within the council and a bit of a conservative vs. liberal divide on many issues. What are some issues that you can see yourself being able to work together with the more liberal members of council on?
Ultimately, we are all working together for the best outcomes for Scottsdale. Each of us pledged to do our best for Scottsdale and although we may have different ideas about what that may mean, it’s not necessarily partisan. I like to say: potholes are non-partisan. There are many issues that we can and do come together on such as public safety, roads, parks, tourism, budget, and more. You may have noticed that we have had several votes so far that do not fall along partisan lines – and that speaks to our collaboration on behalf of Scottsdale.
Given your greater understanding of how the city works now that you see it from the inside so to speak, what or who do you have a greater appreciation for?
Our Charter Officers! They have a tremendous amount of responsibility across a very wide range of issues. Scottsdale is a unique city – we are a beautiful community to live in, a luxury tourist designation, the West’s Most Western Town, and the jewel of the state of Arizona. We cover 185 square miles, we’re 11 miles wide and 31 miles long, and we have a 3,000 foot elevation change. We host the largest sporting event in the United States (Waste Management), we own the largest urban park in the United States (McDowell Sonoran Preserve), and we own the most advanced water treatment plan in the United States. Our Charter Officers manage an absolutely incredible city – and they make it look easy.
Now that you are acclimated and better understand your colleagues and the council at large, what do you see your role or your specialty being in this iteration of the council?
We didn’t realize until after the election that I am the only Councilmember who lives in north Scottsdale. There are typically several Councilmembers in north Scottsdale – yet the balance shifted south this cycle. As the only north Scottsdale resident, it is my opportunity to not only advocate for all of Scottsdale but also for north Scottsdale. We have a unique lifestyle and desires that are different from other parts of the city. I hope to be able to express our desire to protect Scottsdale and keep it an incredibly special city.
Lastly, a more fun one…there are some long days with some challenging meetings. What is your favorite method of unwinding after one of those? It could be an activity, a food, a drink, or all of the above.
It’s fortunate that I am loving this job, but I understand what you mean… we really enjoy taking walks in our neighborhood. Anyone who follows me on Nextdoor will regularly see photos of cardinals (my favorite bird), roadrunners, saguaros, cactus (I love the heart shaped prickly pears), trees, and sunsets. It’s really fun to live near the city and yet among the wildlife. Walking in nature always helps to remind me that Scottsdale is the most beautiful city and it is my honor to serve.