Dear PenSPRA friends,

I’m really excited to join the PenSPRA Board, and I have to share something up front: this is one committee I actually wanted to join. In a world where many of us have been “voluntold” into more groups than we can count, this was an opportunity I genuinely sought out. PenSPRA has been a great source of connection, clarity, and sanity in a role that doesn’t always offer those things naturally.

What I most appreciate about this community is how quickly it becomes a safety net. Whether you’re navigating a tricky communication, experimenting with new tools, or being handed a flyer created in six different fonts and asked, “Can you make this pretty real quick?” – PenSPRA people always understand. The blend of expertise, candor, and humor here is unlike anything else in our field.

Some of you know that I didn’t take a traditional path into school communications. I landed in this work partly through good luck and partly because years ago I traded a finance career for life as a stay-at-home mom who happened to own a camera. Being a “momtog” photographer turned into graphic design favors, which turned into bigger projects, which somehow turned into a full-blown communications role I fell in love with. That love is what pushed me to go back to school and recently finish my master’s degree in strategic communication, proof that sometimes the unplanned paths lead exactly where you’re supposed to be.

As we all navigate the challenges ahead such as funding concerns, growing digital accessibility expectations, and the ever-evolving landscape of school communication, it is reassuring to know we have a community like PenSPRA to lean into.

In my work at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, I spend a lot of time thinking about advocacy, storytelling, and how we support the people doing the toughest jobs in education. PenSPRA is one of the few spaces where those conversations feel both energizing and understood. That’s part of why I want to be here. This network is shaping so much of my own growth, and I’m excited to help strengthen and expand the support it offers to others.

Thank you for the warm welcome. I’m looking forward to serving, learning, and laughing with all of you about the things only school communicators can truly appreciate.