Primary Election Date: 02/12/2008
General Election Date: 11/04/2008

Who Am I?

I am the executive director of the Arca Foundation in Washington, DC, currently on a leave of absence. Prior to my position at Arca, I was the co-founder and executive director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, a national membership organization of state domestic violence coalitions from the 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia. I worked on campaign finance reform issues as a lobbyist for Public Citizen and the Center for a New Democracy. Before becoming a lawyer, I was a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin working at NASA and served with the United Nations Development Program. Additionally, I have served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including the NNEDV, League of Conservation Voters, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the National Governing Board of Common Cause. In 2006, I was a candidate for Congress in Maryland's 4th congressional district for which I fell short by 2,731 votes -- I recently decided to again challenge for the seat in February 2008. I completed undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University and received my Juris Doctor from Franklin Pierce Law Center. I live in Fort Washington, Maryland, and am the proud mother of Jared, a sophomore at Drew University.

Why Am I Running?

I have been asked on numerous occasions, "why run against an incumbent Democrat in a Democratic district?" The answer is simple. I recognized a need for effective leadership in my district. Our current representative in Congress consistently votes against the interests of ordinary Americans, casting his lot with Bush and the Republicans on such critical issues as Iraq, the industry lobbyist-written energy bill, and the bankruptcy bill.
I feel strongly that we need someone to represent the district who cares deeply about our families, our community, and the direction of our country. I am running to bring a positive change to the 4th District of Maryland.
My record is one of leadership on these issues. I listen to people, not special interests. And in Congress, I will work tirelessly for the common good.

Hold Me Accountable!

a. I will work with members of Congress to end the U.S. military involvement in Iraq. I believe that we can no longer afford the human toll or the $2 billion per week cost of this military occupation. It is time for the United States to engage within the context of multilateral institutions to internationalize the effort to bring stability to Iraq and the region. We need to strengthen the United Nations as a policy making and peace keeping entity for resolving world conflict. I am committed to providing a framework for American foreign policy that does not bankrupt future generations, enables us to meet domestic priorities such as education and health care, and engages the United States as a true partner and leader in the world. I will make this a top priority.

b. I will work with my colleagues in the Congress to develop a comprehensive response to our growing energy crisis. We must invest in research and develop technologies that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and simultaneously reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. I will work to provide federal and state incentives for research and development of alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydrogen. I believe it is imperative to increase car mileage standards for fuel efficiency and environmental protection and to create incentives to increase energy efficiency.

c. I believe that affordable health care access for all is sound social and economic policy. I will work to pass a health care policy that meets the health care needs of an ever-increasing millions of Americans who are without health care and those additional millions who have inadequate care. I will work to prioritize preventative health care delivery, long-term care, and equal access to affordable prescription drugs. I will work to ensure that large employers pay their fair share of their employees’ health care in order to be fair to those who fairly meet employee health care costs.

My DFA values:

For me, progressive politics is as much about who I am as what I believe. I believe progressive politics is an approach to policies that benefit the common good �" that speak to our core values and principles. I am committed to working toward peace, justice, fairness, and opportunity. As a progressive, I strive to create public policy that will make the country and world better for future generations.

I am fiscally responsible in that I believe in the importance of a balanced budget and not pass the burden of our fiscal mistakes today on to the backs of our children and grandchildren. I believe that the billions a week we are spending in Iraq, couple with the Bush tax cuts for the rich, should instead be used to address long term issues that we face such as universal healthcare and energy independence.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

Grassroots organizing will play a critical role in my campaign. This campaign is about change after 15 years of ineffective leadership. And it is through the grassroots that campaigns of change are successful. It is about individuals who are concerned about the direction of our communities, our state, and our country banding together to knock on doors, talk to their friends and neighbors, and help spread the word that they have the power to make change happen.