Co-Chair, Green Party of the United States
(July 17, 2008 to March 5, 2010)
I live in rural Wisconsin bordering Lake Michigan. My husband Merritt and I have three children, all of whom have fledged. Our 40 acres have been farmed since 1855. I used to have an organic market garden, and I have long been involved in working towards a sustainable food system. We currently have a large organic garden, which is most bountiful this fall.
I work part time with autistic children whom I have worked with for seven years now. It is rewarding, challenging and enjoyable.
A year and a half ago I started working with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago as a field interviewer, which means that I contact randomly-selected addresses, and convince the people who live there to spend some time with me on whatever study is at hand. I love meeting new people and learning about their opinions and circumstances. For six months this last winter, I was a reporter for a small local paper.
I was the co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Party from 2003 to 2005, and have been on the Wisconsin Coordinating Council for many years. For several years I was primarily responsible for the Wisconsin Green Party’s press releases, but I dropped that, as my other Green Party duties became more pressing. In 2006 I ran for Wisconsin State Senate. The experience was very positive, spiritual and surprisingly sensual. I was included in all seven of the forums during election season, and the Democrat in the race was seen as the spoiler, not me, as I declared several months before he did in our race against the Republican incumbent of 30 years. I grew quite fond of both of my opponents.
I love to quilt, walk and bike in the forest, and canoe and kayak.