Occupation: I am a part-time legal assistant for Celia Barnum in Newtown. I obtained my degree in accounting and finished at Pace University. I was in the insurance field working for close to ten years as broker and underwriter, then in reinsurance accounting. But my favorite job was working for Reader’s Digest from 1993 to 1998 on production and doing magazine promotions.

How Long In Newtown: I am from Atlanta, Ga., but we lived in Westchester County for many years while my husband commuted into New York City to work for a Swiss company. Then we moved to Switzerland and lived there from 1984 to 1998. The company has since opened an office in Armonk, N.Y., so we moved in May 2001 to Sandy Hook. We live on Sleepy Hollow Road on a very friendly little street with only 17 homes.

Biggest Change You Have Seen In Town: Even in the three years that I’ve lived here, I’ve seen change. Mainly it’s the traffic and the rate of building. Sometimes I think Church Hill Road is like a city traffic jam. I don’t want to be a NIMBY, but I think we have the potential danger here in Newtown of becoming overbuilt. I don’t envy the Planning and Zoning Commission at all. It’s an impossible job.

Family: My husband Mark is from Wilbraham, Mass., and he’s a divisional underwriting officer. His company, Swiss Re, is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and now they have an office in Armonk, it’s great because he’s no longer tied to train schedules.

Hobbies: I read a lot, and I like to do counted cross stitch. I play social bridge through the Newtown Newcomers’ Club.

Pets: No pets. We travel too much. Pets need time and love. I enjoy watching my neighbor’s retriever Ginger, and that’s enough.

Favorite Book: I tend to prefer British mysteries by P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, and Reginald Hill.

Organizations: I belong to Newtown Newcomers’ Club. I’ve found it a lifeline –– not just for new people in town, but for people who want to make new friends, whose children are gone, or who are not working. You need to be involved. We belong to St Rose Church, and I belong to Women Involved In Newtown (WIN).

Most Vivid Memory About Newtown: In December 2001, we had volunteered to work at the Holiday Festival, the fundraising event for the Family Counseling Center. It was my first experience of the holidays in Newtown, and the event was so charming, absolutely unique. I loved seeing the houses and the other people, and we all got closer to each other. That’s when I said to myself, “You picked the right place to live.”

Favorite Vacation Spot: We tend to go to Europe every year starting off in Switzerland. This year we went on to Copenhagen. In other years we’ve been to England, to Devon, to London and to Oxford.

Personal Philosophy: The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would have them treat you. That works for me.