About Jennifer

I was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1955.  I was born into a family of seven children.  My father became totally disabled when I was about 8 years old.  Our family survived on Social Security Disability benefits.  Because the payments were designed for a family with three children not seven, I actually did grow up in poverty.  My mother told us that fact I think more to point out that there was a federal guideline for poverty more than to make us sad.  Despite everything my childhood was happy.  Largely due to the fact that my mom was smart and resourceful.  And we were to be thankful for that Social Security money.

She also insisted on the importance of education.  Teachers were to be respected and valued.  Get the most out of your education and then you will get to go to college and get a good job. So you can see she was also a woman of Faith.  How were her children going to go to college?  As if by divine decree the heaven opened up (actually it was an act of Congress) and provided the National Direct Student Loan.  All us girls went off to college because of the NDSL and various scholarships.  My brothers had different ideas.

College did indeed give me the skills for a good job plus my life-long group of four college buddy girlfriends and last but not least my wonderful husband.  Mom had been right.  It is no wonder that I believe in a strong government that can help people achieve their goals and education brought to us by wonderful teachers who open up the whole world of possibilities to us.  I also appreciate the strong pillars of our country that make so many good things possible.  Unions that lift up all working people through their efforts.  Good political debate and political parties that respect one another.  And keeping our eye on progress, not power for a few.

As a working woman I was most interested in government work.  I worked for both the Social Security Administration and the IRS.  Believe me when I say that working for SSA was much easier than working for the IRS.  I was represented by a fine union at both my jobs.  The American Federation of Government Workers kept us safe and our pay very respectable.  Both were good jobs, but my favorite job as I tell my three adult sons was being their stay-at-home mom.

In 2006 the boys were off to high school and beyond, and I was asked by the Westside Democratic Meet-Up group (in the western suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio) to run for a state rep position in my home District 16.   It was an up-hill race to win that seat in a highly Republican, conservative district.  A Democrat had not won in 50 years. But I persevered and won a term in the Ohio legislature.  Those experiences helped shape my future, both as a Democrat and now, as a candidate once again.

As I look forward in my happy retirement, I want to find ways to support these many good things that have blessed my life so abundantly.  Good education, a way forward for any young person struggling, good government that provides services for the people. . .  These are the goals of my campaign!