Where did you grow up and go to school?
I am a lifelong local of Biddeford, Maine where I attended local schools and graduated from Biddeford High School in 1986. I went on late to receive an associate degree in paralegal studies in 1997 at Andover College in Portland, Maine.
What prompted you to decide to seek employment with York County government?
I had been working for an attorney in Saco who was getting ready to retire and I wanted to continue working in the legal field since I had begun my paralegal studies, and I heard of an opening in the York County Probate Office, so I jumped at it, and I happily got hired.
How long have you worked for county government and in what capacities? What is your current title?
I have been working in the Probate Office for over 30 years. I started in January of 1994 as a Microfiche Clerk then to a Name Change Clerk to my present position as a Guardian and Conservator of Minor Paralegal, Clerk I.
What did you do before joining York County government?
I grew up as a young girl helping my Dad out at his restaurant, Deering Ice Cream until I was old enough to work there as a waitress. I also got my certified nursing certificate in high school, thinking I wanted to be a registered nurse but instead ended up working for a lawyer and loved the legal field.
What do you like most about your current job?
I see a lot of families come to the Probate Office to obtain guardianship of minor children because of parents suffering from either drug or alcohol addiction. The children suffer neglect, abuse, instability, and their parents are unable to provide care for them and they need someone to step in and help. I always like to see - and it makes me extremely happy - when the parents do the long and hard work of recovery to be able to terminate the guardianship and get their children back. I love happy endings!
When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
I absolutely love to spend time with my Best Pal, My Dog Tony, who is a 5-year-old Strafford Terrier Pitbull who weighs 85 lbs. and thinks he is a lapdog. We enjoy going for walks, getting ice cream at Fielders Choice on Sundays and he especially loves playing frisbee.
