Occupation: I’m a certified K-6 teacher. I’ve taken the last seven years off to be a stay-at-home mom, but in September, I started teaching part-time at Step Away in Monroe and at St Rose. I’ve recently started a preschool tutoring and education consulting business, called PreKConnect —prekconnect.com. I tutor 4-year-olds for kindergarten readiness, at my home or at the library. I’m also available to go into preschools to help bump up the curriculum.

Family: My husband, Tom, and I have three children. Collin is 7, Norah is 6, and Ciara is 4.

Pets: We have a dog named JoJo, a lab mix. She turned 1 in December.

How long have you lived here? We’ve been in Sandy Hook for nine years.

What do you like to do in your free time? I spend time volunteering at Sandy Hook Elementary whenever I can, and I belong to the PTA. I like to read, and I like to run, when I can. With the family, we enjoy hiking the many trails in Newtown.

What are you reading now? Right now, I’m reading Mindset by Carol Dweck, an interesting book about how some people have fixed and some have growth mindsets. It’s an interesting way to look at things, as a teacher and as a parent.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? Lake Placid, N.Y., is one of our family favorites. There’s so much to offer. We take the gondola up White Face Mountain. There’s a Santa’s Village, a hockey rink, and it’s just beautiful.

What is the best thing about Newtown? I would say the sense of community. Being such a big town, areawise, it has a small town feel. You can run into Big Y anytime, any day, and bump into someone you know.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My dad. He passed away 12 years ago. He was the most patient and kind person, and always had a smile on his face. When I’m having a bad day, I think of how he just let things roll off his back, and I feel better. He was always encouraging and supportive of anything I wanted to do.

Did you have a favorite toy, growing up? I’d have to say it was my Barbie Dream House. That was a favorite. I still remember coming downstairs on Christmas morning, and there it was.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? When I have some free time, I like to go to Starbucks and have my caramel macchiato, and sit for two minutes. Then I start to feel like I have to be doing something!