OPINION — As a pediatric registered nurse, I have spent much of my life caring for children and advocating for their well-being. I believe healthcare should be accessible to everyone, and I believe just as strongly that every child deserves access to a quality public education.
These are not partisan luxuries. They are foundations of a healthy, successful community.
That is one reason I support Stephanie Walsh for Arizona State Senate in Legislative District 14.
Stephanie brings more than 30 years of experience as a mechanical engineer and a nonprofit business leader. She understands something that I think we sometimes forget: Strong public schools don’t just benefit families with children in them. They help create an educated workforce, attract businesses, strengthen our economy and make communities like Gilbert places where people want to live and raise their families. Stephanie has this central to her campaign.
As a nurse, I also know that education and health are closely connected. When families have access to good schools, healthcare and economic opportunity, entire communities benefit. We should be preparing young people for careers in healthcare, technology, engineering, skilled trades and the many other professions Arizona will need in the years ahead.
Stephanie has spent her career solving complicated problems in the real world. She isn’t approaching public service as an abstract exercise. She brings decades of experience in engineering, climate, energy and business, and she has emphasized practical problem-solving, financial accountability and collaboration.
After a lifetime in nursing, I know we cannot build healthy communities by focusing on only one piece of the puzzle. Healthcare matters. Education matters. Good jobs matter. Environment matters. And, the future we create for our children matters.
That is why I am supporting Stephanie Walsh for the Arizona State Senate in LD 14.
Legislative District 14 includes most of Gilbert and portions of Chandler and Queen Creek. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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