Veterinarian. Small Business Owner. Your Neighbor in Dickinson.

For nearly twenty years, I've called western North Dakota home. I built State Ave Vet Clinic from the ground up—first in Killdeer, then in Dickinson—because I believed this community deserved excellent veterinary care close to home. That same belief continues to guide my work today.

Every day at the clinic, I talk with families, farmers, ranchers, workers, students, and small business owners. The challenges they share—finding workers, affording healthcare, and building a future here—are the same ones I face running my own business. I'm not running for office to start a political career. I'm running because these problems have real solutions, and I want to help build them.

My great-grandparents homesteaded land near Killdeer. While I grew up in Ohio, North Dakota has always been part of my family's story.

My grandfather was a true North Dakotan. Practical, hardworking, and respected by everyone who knew him. He lived through World War I, the Dirty Thirties, and World War II—part of the Greatest Generation that endured hardship without complaint. My mother spent her summers on the family homestead near Killdeer, and through her stories and our visits, North Dakota remained part of my family's identity. My grandfather wasn't a man of many speeches, but he taught his grandchildren lessons that have guided me ever since: work hard, don't complain, and help when you can.

My father immigrated to America from post-war Germany with little more than an education and a strong work ethic. He taught his children that what your head and hands can do is something no one can ever take away from you.

Those lessons shaped the path that followed.

I earned degrees in Biology and Chemistry, followed by a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Pennsylvania, where I participated in Huntington's Disease research in Venezuela. I later became a veterinarian and, in 2007, moved to western North Dakota to start a veterinary practice because the need was real and my family's roots run deep here.

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to build a business, create jobs, mentor future professionals, serve on educational and workforce boards, and founded Sustainable Vets International, a nonprofit supporting economic development projects in Nicaragua.

Why This Matters

As a veterinarian, employer, educator, and small business owner, I've spent my career helping people navigate challenges and find practical solutions. Whether it's workforce shortages, rising healthcare costs, or preparing young people for successful careers, I've seen firsthand how public policy affects everyday lives.

That's why I'm running for the North Dakota House of Representatives: to bring practical experience, thoughtful problem-solving, and a commitment to community service to the legislature.