Occupation: I am the office manager for a mechanical contracting company owned by my father and brother. We are lucky because we enjoy working together 99 percent of the time.

Family: I have been married to my husband Rusty for 30 years. My daughter Hayley lives in Manhattan and is a few months shy of completing her PhD in neuroscience. My son Baron just left his engineering job and is hoping to redirect his career to become an animator. Wish him luck!

How long have you lived in Newtown? My husband and I both grew up in Newtown. We left when he joined the Air Force in 1990. Five years ago, we came back and bought his childhood home in the center of town. We have lived in many different communities throughout the country, but none compares to Newtown; it is a wonderful place to live.

What do you like to do in your free time? I am an active person. I try to run, play tennis, garden, or do some form of physical exercise every day. Recently, I have become obsessed with growing dahlias, which is a demanding hobby.

What is your favorite book? Can I list three? A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, and Body & Soul by Frank Conroy. And my 8-year-old self is forcing my hand to type the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

What organizations are you part of in Newtown? As soon as we moved back, I joined the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library. I fondly remember going to the early book sales that were held in the library parking lot. I love being around books and people who love books, so volunteering with the Friends is a joy. The organization helps to make our town library one of the best around.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My mother was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis when she was 28. Throughout her terrible illness she never complained and continued to the best of her ability to be a loving wife and mother. I try hard to model her grit and selflessness.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? I would spend the day with my husband. It’s corny, hard to believe, and I didn’t know it at the time, but I met my soulmate when I was 13 years old.

Who is your favorite musical artist? I enjoy all types of music. I tend to find a new artist and then listen exhaustively. This past summer it was Jon Batiste, then Maria Callas. Right now, I am hooked on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Some songs are pretty out there!

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? During my first finals period in college, I was overwhelmed by all I had to do. I called my dad, and he advised me to think small. Just do one task and then hopefully that productive feeling will project to the next task until eventually the workload is manageable. I have used this philosophy many times in my life.

What is something you cannot live without? Our fancy Japanese style toilet. There is nothing like a warm seat on a cold winter morning.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Raising a couple of children who I truly love to be around, and who I think (hope) feel the same.

What is a meal/recipe your family has passed down to you? There is a braided sweet bread that my mom made from a recipe that was in the November 16, 1966, issue of TV Guide (which I still have) that I make every year.

What is a tradition your family does that is important to you? I love Christmas Eve. We do a rather lame three fishes, but all my life my family has made sure we are together for this holiday meal.

What would you like The Newtown Bee to cover in the future? I think this has been stated in previous Snapshots, and I agree. The Bee is a quintessential town newspaper and perfect as is!