Get to know Tracy

I was born in central Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology. After graduation, I moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where I worked as a scientist for a biotechnology company. I eventually left the lab and moved into the business side of the company, working as a buyer.

From there, I relocated back to Urbana-Champaign, where I worked as a buyer for a local hospital. My next adventure took me to New York City, where I worked as a buyer for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

When we moved to Chaska, Minnesota, in 2011, I decided to stay home with our young children. I continued to stay active in the community, working part-time at the Chaska Community Center as a gymnastics coach and program coordinator. I also coached gymnastics at Laketown Gymnastics and worked for a year as a substitute paraprofessional for Eastern Carver County Schools.

Five years ago, I decided to get my short-call substitute license and was hired as a building substitute at Jonathan Elementary. That experience has given me the opportunity to work closely with students, teachers, and district staff and has deepened my connection to our schools and community.

For more than a decade, I have also volunteered in our schools—as a parent volunteer, PTO board member, and member of numerous district committees. These experiences have given me valuable insight into how our public schools operate and a deeper appreciation for the work of our teachers, staff, and district leadership. They have also given me the opportunity to understand different perspectives and see firsthand the dedication that goes into creating a strong educational experience for our students

I’ve been married to Mark for 19 years, and we have three children. Our oldest son is a senior at Chanhassen High School, our daughter is a sophomore at Chaska High School, and our youngest son is an eighth grader at Chaska Middle School East. All three of our children began their journeys with Eastern Carver County Schools in preschool.

Our family has had a wonderful experience over the years as we navigated Jonathan Elementary, Chaska Middle School East, and both Chanhassen and Chaska High Schools. Those experiences have given us an appreciation for the teachers, staff, programs, and opportunities available to students throughout our district.

My family keeps me very busy, and you’ll often find me in the stands or on the sidelines cheering my kids on as they participate in the sports they love. We are a hockey, lacrosse, and gymnastics family, and we love supporting our children and their teammates.

When we relocated from New York City to the Minneapolis metro area, it was important to us to find a community with strong schools and plenty of opportunities for our growing family. Chaska and Carver County quickly felt like the right choice for us. We were drawn to the strength of Eastern Carver County Schools and the opportunities they provide for students to learn, grow, and succeed.

After more than 15 years of being part of this community—and experiencing our schools both as a parent and as an educator—I’m grateful for the place we call home and the many people who have made it such a special community for our family.