Occupation: I am honored to be the administrative director for Ben’s Lighthouse. Being a part of this organization and the great work that we do has been a blessing in my life.

Family: I have been married to my talented and generous husband, Mark, for 18 years. We have two children, Jessica (17) and Nicholas (16). Jessica graduated from Newtown High School in June and is planning to spend the next year traveling. Nicholas is a junior at Newtown High School. He is working on becoming an Eagle Scout and he is a junior member of Newtown Hook and Ladder.

Pets: Pets are an important part of my life. I have always had a pet and currently I have four cats.

How long have you lived in Newtown? My family moved from Bridgeport to Newtown when I was 5 years old. I have lived in surrounding towns but came back to Newtown to raise my family in 2004.

What do you like to do in your free time? I like to hike and do things that make me feel connected to nature. I love the ocean as much as I love the mountains. I love reading, going to the beach, decorating, and refinishing old furniture. What I enjoy most is laughing with my two sarcastic and witty children.

What is your favorite book? I enjoy reading psychological thrillers, so I would say my most recent favorite is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.

Who or what has been the greatest influence in your life? My faith has been the greatest influence in my life. It is my source of hope and strength. However, my mom has been the greatest influential person in my life. She taught me, by example, the meaning of unconditional love, the value of a strong work ethic and the importance of family. Also, her Italian cultural heritage has shaped so much of who I am. The phrases that I use, the food that I cook, and the traditions that I keep stem from my mom’s cultural heritage.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? I would spend the day with my dad. He passed away in 2003, and he never got to meet my children. I would spend the day listening to him play his steel guitar, telling stories, and watching him enjoy the amazing people that my children are.

Who is your favorite musical artist? It’s difficult to pick just one. I have an eclectic taste in music. I enjoy the music of James Taylor and Michael Bublé, but I also like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs. It really depends on the day.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? The phrase, “this too shall pass” has been a gentle reminder throughout my life. An influential woman in my life that I was working with early in my career helped me find the true meaning of this phrase. It’s so simple, but it has a special meaning to me.

What is something you cannot live without? A pet. I cannot picture my life without a pet.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Although I have educational and career accomplishments that I am proud of, I would say that my proudest accomplishment was deciding to leave the legal field that I worked in to pursue working with a purpose that is more in line with my ideals and values.

What is a meal/recipe your family has passed down to you? My mom is a phenomenal cook, and she has passed down so many Italian family recipes, but the greatest is her sauce and meatballs.

What is a tradition your family does that is important to you? A family tradition that I treasure is celebrating Christmas with my entire extended family on Christmas Eve. It’s something that I hope continues for generations.

What would you like The Newtown Bee to cover in the future? I’d like to see Snapshots about the youth that volunteer in our town and the great things that they are contributing to the community. I’ve had the pleasure to work with many of them during their volunteerism with Ben’s Lighthouse.