A bit about me….

I was raised in northern Westchester County, NY, where I had the best of both worlds—woods out back to explore and New York City just a train ride away. That mix of nature and culture shaped me early, and it’s no surprise I ended up in a place like Tompkins County, where they make up the fabric of living here.

After earning my veterinary degree from the University of Georgia (DVM ‘84), in 1987 I came to Ithaca for a clinical residency and Master’s program. Recognized for my teaching abilities, I was offered a position as an Instructor in the Physiology department, where I developed the prototype of the case-based, patient-centered curriculum that remains in use today. Built on the idea that knowledge evolves and answers are context dependent, the curriculum emphasizes learning how to ask the right questions and seek the best answers for the circumstances—a principle that continues to shape how I approach problem-solving, and policy-making, today.

While building my academic career, I found a second calling in community service. I volunteered with the Ithaca Rape Crisis Center, with AIDSWork, and 14 years as a volunteer mediator with the Community Dispute Resolution Center. When serving as Board Chair of the Advocacy Center I learned that Congress was poised to let the Violence Against Women Act expire. In response, I launched StopFamilyViolence.org that mobilized over 164,000 letters and countless calls to Congress and played a key role in getting VAWA reauthorized. That effort led to founding a national grassroots organization of 45,000 members, which I ran for a decade.

In 2010, when fracking threatened our town of Caroline, I turned my energy locally toward environmental advocacy, and I’ve never looked back. From serving on the Caroline Town Board, to shutting down the Cayuga power plant, to blocking pipelines and cryptomining, to fighting NYSEG’s rate hikes and championing clean energy, I’ve spent the past 15 years fighting for a just, affordable and livable future.

I’ve always believed in speaking up—whether it was opposing the Klan’s attempt to organize at my vet school or standing with a Black woman farmer targeted by hate and injustice here in Caroline. As a Jew and a lesbian, I know the importance of visibility, solidarity, and making space for everyone’s voice. Making a difference isn’t a slogan for me—it’s a way of life.

These days, I still find joy walking in the woods with my dog, birding, swimming, and cooking meals from local ingredients. I love to travel, but I’m always grateful to come home to the beauty of this place and the community that makes it feel like home.