Occupation: I’m the program manager at Ben’s Lighthouse, an organization that provides programs, outreach, and events that empower youth to find their light, and share it with the community. It was founded by Rick Haylon, with the blessings of the Wheeler family, whose son, Ben, died 12/14.

Family: I’ve been married to Nando Paredes for almost seven years. We have a son, Oliver, who is soon to be 3 years old. My parents, Bill and Pat Clark, live in Newtown. I have two sisters. Erin is in Boston, and Jessica lives in Spain.

How long have you been in Newtown? I was born and raised in Newtown. After college, I went to grad school in Baltimore, and then we lived in Piermont, N.Y. Officially, we’ve been back in Newtown since September 2014.

What is the biggest change you’ve noticed in town? The town has grown quite a bit, with more businesses. The Fireside is gone. The amount of activity is greater, and there’s a lot for families to do now. Places where there used to be a lot of land, and we’d go sledding and biking, now have houses on them. I’d say that the economic development has been tremendous.

What do you like to do in your free time? Having a toddler is really fun. We do a lot of exploring and go on adventures. I’m on the Cape Cod Ragnar Relay team for this coming spring. It’s a 200-mile relay road race, so I’m in training for that. It’s my first one, so I’m a little nervous. I do like to read, when I have the time.

What are you currently reading? Jewel, the singer/songwriter, wrote a book, Never Broken. It’s an interesting story about her life growing up in Alaska. She had a difficult life, and has a lot to share.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? A couple of summers ago, my husband and I took a road trip in the Pacific Northwest, and visited Olympic National Park in Washington. It’s an amazing and magical forest. It was really beautiful.

What is the best thing about Newtown? I think coming back and having that sense of community that I didn’t realize growing up here. Working with a nonprofit requires a lot of help. There’s a sense of who we are and what Newtown represents.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? What comes to mind immediately is my parents. They put family first, and demonstrated commitment and hard work. That provided me with a good foundation to be the best person I can be. To come back to Newtown, full circle, makes me realize that my parents are such an influence on my life.

If you could spend time with someone from the past, who would it be? My dad’s parents, Bob and Dot Clark, passed before he even met my mom. I would love to spend a day with them, and get to know them. My dad’s a special guy, and it would be nice to know where he came from.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? I love watching The Real Housewives series on Bravo. I watch when my husband is watching football. I wouldn’t put him through that.