Occupation: I am the owner of Avance Esthetiques Day Spa in Sand Hill Plaza.

Family: My husband, Bob, who is retired from building and developing. We have five children, Gary, Robin, Bobby, Greg, and Cindy. We also have ten grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. We live in Southbury and have been there for 23 years.

Pets: We have a cat, Shadow, who was adopted as an abandoned cat at one of my husband’s job sites. Shadow is aptly named. He’s afraid of his own shadow. We’ve had him for 12 years and he’s still shy.

How long have you worked in Newtown? I’ve owned Avance for 16 years.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love to garden and travel. Gardening is very relaxing. It’s a good place to lose yourself.

Do you have a favorite flower? I like cactus. I have many. And I love Dahlias. I have a lot of gardens at my home.

Do you have a favorite style of music? Not really. I love all music. I love jazz — no particular artist, just all of it.

What is your favorite travel destination? We’ve been to many fine places, but one of our favorites is Sedona, Ariz. We love to hike and we do a lot of hiking there. It’s a very peaceful place. We go once, sometimes twice, a year.

What is the best thing about Newtown? I think it’s a very friendly town. I couldn’t have picked a better place to open my business. I’ve made a lot of great friends and business connections here. It’s a very family-oriented place.

If you could spend a day with anyone, who would that be? My mom. She passed away nine years ago and I still miss her. A mom is a special person and holds a special place in your heart.

Do you have a personal philosophy? Be the best that you can. You only get one opportunity. You really can do anything you want if you put your mind to it. And be a good person.