Occupation: I'm an IBM client executive, covering Aetna. I work in my client's office in Hartford.
Occupation: Iâm an IBM client executive, covering Aetna. I work in my clientâs office in Hartford.
Family: Iâm a single mom with a 15-year-old son, Daniel, who attends Immaculate High School in Danbury. Heâs the love of my life!
Pets: We have a 15-pound cat named Buffy, and a four-foot-long ball-python snake named Jake.
How long have you lived in Newtown? We moved in 2001 to Sandy Hook.
What do you like to do in your free time? Iâm an avid reader and I belong to a book club. I love the movies and I love to go to New York City, just for sightseeing and such. I try to see at least two Broadway shows a year. Daniel and I are taking piano lessons. Itâs our fifth year, and heâs much better than I am, but Iâm loving it. Iâm a deacon at Newtown Congregational Church and do outside visitation each month to bring communion to those who canât get out. And I love to travel.
Do you have a favorite book? Iâm really diverse. The books that made the biggest impact on my life are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Five Smooth Stones, and The Color Purple. I like stories that really have a message, but I like historical novels, and comedy, too. Iâm in my car four to six hours a day, so I always have a book on CD or iPod going. Right now, Iâm listening to Eat, Pray, Love.
Do you have a favorite travel destination? My favorite places have been Alaska, our national park tour of Canada, and Italy. My dream when I retire is to swap houses with someone in Italy for a year.
Whatâs the best thing about Newtown? There are so many wonderful things. Itâs the epitome of a New England town, to me. I came from Los Angeles, where I had lived for 18 years. The support system and the friendliness of people here is amazing. I belong to Newtown Congregational Church, which is a family in itself. I love the contemporary service they have started doing. It brings me back to growing up in the 60s, and I love how it gets younger people involved in their spiritual lives. As a cancer survivor, Iâm blown away by Relay For Life every year and the impact it has for people who face cancer every day.
Do you have a hero? I would have to say my parents. I was kind of a wild child, but still they managed to instill in me the values that make me happy to be the person I am.
Do you have a personal philosophy? I believe in always telling the truth; that working hard and playing hard are equally important; and that paying attention to the small details makes all the difference. And I have a wicked sense of humor.
What makes you happiest? Finding comedy even in the most challenging moments of life. Like when my hair was falling out from chemo, I walked into work, sat down next to some colleagues, and said, âIâm having such a bad day, I could tear my hair out,â and proceeded to pull out chunks of hair. They didnât know what to do! I laughed all the way through chemo.