My story.

My South Dakota story is unique. I wasn’t born here, or even in the United States, but there’s no place in the world I would rather call home.

Sioux Falls is where I started college, began my career, and planted roots with my husband, Kyle. It’s where I’ve devoted time to being an advocate for mental health awareness after a family tragedy in 2017. 

My parents adopted me as an infant from Guatemala. I grew up on a farm 35 minutes east of Brookings near Lake Benton, MN. The land we lived on was in our family for more than a century, 53 of which were farmed by my dad. My mom was a teacher for 28 years, including my time in high school. 

My parents were heavily involved in theater yet always learned about what I was interested in. They were my biggest supporters in sports and any other activities I participated in. I had a great childhood spent outdoors, riding four wheelers, and picking rock. 

In 2012 I moved to Sioux Falls to attend my mom’s alma mater Augustana University. The community-minded atmosphere felt in many ways like my hometown, and I was met with new opportunities and mentors. During my sophomore year, my dad was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, so I transferred to Southwest Minnesota State University to be closer to home. I graduated with a degree in communication studies and a minor in psychology.

After moving back to Sioux Falls, I began my career in the mental health field as a residential counselor at a psychiatric treatment center for youth. There I discovered there is much more we can do as a state to protect the most vulnerable South Dakotans. 

In December of 2017, my dad died by suicide. Nothing could have prepared me for the ways my world would change. Since then, I have devoted my time to honoring my dad’s life by working to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health, mental illness, and death by suicide. 

“Survivor of Suicide Loss: A Title I Never Wanted” was the subject of a TEDx Talk I gave in 2020. From that experience I continue to connect with people throughout the country impacted by mental illness.

The powerful outcomes I’ve witnessed through this advocacy are why I’m running for the state legislature. It is absolutely possible to get results on important issues if we meet people where they’re at and truly listen to what they care about and why. 

Advocacy work is central to who I am as a person and I carried that into my career at Augustana University and now at the Helpline Center. While at Augie, I worked alongside student leaders to bring the first student-led mental health organization to campus. Supporting families through the college search process had given me the opportunity to meet many of our local high school students — young leaders who we must ensure choose to continue to call South Dakota home.

Kyle and I (and our two dogs) are proud to call Sioux Falls home. Kyle is a nurse anesthetist with Sanford Health. Healthcare in all of its forms, mental and physical, is a priority for our family and one that I will focus on as a legislator. My campaign will be spent going door to door visiting with voters about the issues that matter most to them as well as discussing solutions we can pursue in Pierre. 

I look forward to visiting with you! Please feel free to reach out to me via social media or email. 

Learn more about our campaign:

South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s Meet The Candidates

Keloland’s Meet The Candidates in District 14

Argus Leader’s Get to Know The Candidates

Sioux Falls Simplified’s Meet The State Legislative Candidates

The Dakota Scout’s Meet The Candidates