Occupation: I am currently a full time student at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) studying studio art and communications. I am also the theater assistant at the Edmond Town Hall. I’ve worked there for just over four years.

Family: I live with my dad and my uncle.

Pets: We have one orange tabby cat named Buddy. He’s the best.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I’ve lived in Newtown my entire life — almost 23 years!

What do you like to do in your free time? In my free time I love to be outside or creating something. I really enjoy anything that can get me thinking, whether it’s painting, taking pictures, roller skating, or cooking.

What is your favorite book? I have a couple favorite books. The first is definitely The Great Gatsby. It’s been my favorite book since I first read it. My second is Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. It’s so unlike his other writing and such a beautiful story!

What is your favorite travel destination? My favorite travel destination is Cape Cod. My dad and I would go camping in Cape Cod for a couple weeks at a time every summer when I was younger, so I try to do that every year as I’ve gotten older.

What is the best part about Newtown? The best part about Newtown is all the friends I’ve made here and all the teachers I’ve had. I am always so grateful for the people I’ve met. They’ve inspired me in so many ways.

What organizations are you part of in Newtown? Currently just Edmond Town Hall. I do administrative work in the office, coordinate the movies, and help run the social media.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? So many! But probably my dad. He is the one who first introduced me to the arts and always supported my artistic endeavors. He really taught me all about the value of trying new things even if you don’t succeed the first time.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? My best friend Michelle. She’s lived in Maine for a few years now, so we’re only able to hang out during breaks from school. We always have the best time when we’re together.

Who is your favorite musical artist? This is such a hard question since there are so many musicians who mean a lot to me! I can narrow it down to two. The first is an artist from Vancouver named Haley Blais, she makes the most personal bedroom-pop music I’ve (personally) ever heard. She’s a huge inspiration to me. The second is a band called Tally Hall. Though they’re not making music anymore, they were really formative in my art and music taste in general.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? So far in life I think the greatest piece of advice I’ve been given is to not worry about what other people’s ideas of success mean to them, but to think about what success means to me. It’s helped me stay on track and follow my dreams whenever I’ve felt down. Everybody needs to have a different idea of success, otherwise the possibilities wouldn’t be endless. Everybody would just be doing the same things.

What is something you cannot live without? My friends.

What is your proudest accomplishment? I think just going to college and becoming an artist. I know that younger me would look up to who I am now, which makes me believe that I have finally made it.