"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not on this earth for eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake."

Marie Beynon Ray

 I have tried to live by this motto in my personal life as well as in my professional life.   My career in law enforcement began as a Wisconsin State Park Ranger before moving to Madison with my husband.  On August 12, 1996, I was hired by the University of Wisconsin – Madison Police Department (UWPD). 

Starting as a Security Officer and being promoted to Police Officer then Sergeant in 2001, I have had the opportunity to experience many different positions at the UWPD.    As a Sergeant, I have served as the Associate Director of Hospital Security for the University Hospital and Clinics.  In this assignment, I supervised three Security Supervisors and a civilian security division of 18 officers.  While in my next assignment, Planning and Development - Emergency Management Division, I was a consultant to the UW System schools assisting them in developing Continuity of Operations Plans.  My current assignment is in the Personnel, Recruitment and Training Division. 

While planning the department’s quarterly in-services, I also participate as an instructor in courses such as, Preventing Mass Casualty Shootings in a Campus Setting, Defense and Arrest Tactics, Taser, and Child Passenger Safety. 

I hold an Associate Degree in Police Science, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and graduated from the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command as their elected Vice President.

I experienced NAWLEE’s magic in 2002 and have been a member since.  Wanting to be more involved with NAWLEE, I volunteered to be the Midwest Regional Conference Coordinator.  I was elected to the Board of Directors at the 2007 and 2009 annual conferences and proudly serve as NAWLEE’s Associate Member-at-Large.