I am a single mother of three children; a soccer coach; a survivor of domestic violence; a dedicated community leader; an adjunct law professor; and a prepared and passionate litigator in the courtroom. I come from a family of public servants and grew up watching my mother dedicate her career to protecting abused and neglected children. I discovered my love for the courtroom when I was in high sch
ool when my mother would take me with her to family court to observe proceedings. I learned at a young age how important it is to give back to our community to make it a better place for us all. I am a graduate of the University of South Carolina where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in English in 2000. I obtained my Juris Doctorate from Western Michigan Cooley Law School in 2003. After law school, I have held a variety of positions including working as prosecutor for a county government; as a commercial litigator in a private law firm; as an Assistant United States Attorney; and as a family law attorney. I spent the past year as the Lead Family Law Attorney at Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, representing low-income victims of domestic violence. Of my 18 years as an attorney, over 14 years have been in public service or working for a non-profit organization. As an experienced litigator, I have been on both sides of the aisle, both in civil and criminal cases and have always treated litigants and counsel with dignity and respect. My qualifications and experiences are unique as I have represented state and local governments, the federal government, individuals, and corporations in litigation, and I have handled over forty jury trials. I understand the perspectives and challenges parties experience. If elected, I would continue to listen to the parties involved and ensure everyone has a voice in court in a timely manner. In early October 2021, I announced my decision to run for Eighth Circuit Court Judge in Davidson County because I want to serve and give back to my community in a role where I can effect change inside the courtroom. In reality, becoming a Judge has been on my heart for many years. Unfortunately, like many people, I was victimized by my ex-husband not only at home, but also in court and in public. My experience gave me a desire to stand up for all victims of abuse. In my most recent job, I positively resolved hundreds of family court matters at Legal Aid Society. My prior experience as a prosecutor gave me a strong respect for the rule of law and made me feel “at home” in the courtroom. Justice is my passion and I am dedicated to treating everyone in the courtroom with fairness and dignity. Nashville has been my chosen home since early 2009 where I have worked hard to give back to our community in order to ensure not only my children, but all future generations can thrive. Service as Chair of the Board of End Slavery Tennessee allowed me to use my legal background to fight for victims of human trafficking. I was selected to serve as co-chair of the Nashville Bar Association, Special Committee on Race and Equity, to increase fair and equitable racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession. Further, I have co-founded the Child Care Alliance of Middle Tennessee to create and expand high quality child care in Middle Tennessee. As a skilled litigator, I have been teaching Trial Advocacy at Vanderbilt Law School since 2014, where I train third-year law students how to navigate the courtroom. I have a passion for the law—upholding it, respecting it, and teaching it. If elected, I will ensure the Eighth Circuit Court applies the law fairly while also protecting the rights of all parties in the courtroom.
