How and why did you get into law enforcement?

I was interested in law enforcement even in high school. My criminal law teacher told us about an opportunity to be a Police Explorer. So, I signed up and went to monthly meetings with the local troop. It culminated in a ride-along with a Delaware state trooper. From that time, I was absolutely hooked. Both of my grandfathers had been public servants—one was a firefighter and the other was a police officer—so I grew up around stories and images of service. As soon as I graduated from the University of Delaware, I applied to the Delaware State Police.

What has your career journey been like?

I’m very blessed to be the first woman to oversee the Delaware State Police. I think the confidence that others had in me and their belief in my work ethic has allowed me to overcome any temporary obstacles. I have been surrounded by amazing mentors who have challenged me to take on things that might be outside of my comfort zone.

What traffic safety initiatives have you worked on?

In my first staff position as operations major, I heard about solutions to law enforcement-related challenges along the I-70 corridor that had been developed in partnership with AAMVA. I thought, “Why aren’t we doing that on I-95?” That was around 2012, and I’m proud to say that for the last decade, we have been at the forefront of that initiative, with the shared purpose and goal of highway safety, reducing speeds, remediating collisions, eliminating distracted driving and getting our counterparts in other states on board.

How did you get involved with AAMVA?

My initial introduction to AAMVA was in 2013 when I attended the AIC and met Brian Ursino, who was a fantastic advocate for the AAMVA and law enforcement communities. It was the perfect gathering of all our highway safety partners in one shared space. I enjoyed getting to hear their challenges and aspirations and sharing ours.