Elizabeth grew up in Michigan along the shores of the Great Lakes. As one of twelve children, she learned the importance of working together with people and having 8 brothers, she also knew how important it was to get to the table! Elizabeth is a graduate of Western Michigan University in Political Science, Women’s Studies, and Public Policy. She interned with the Michigan House of Representatives, worked on numerous campaigns on both sides of the aisle and created an organization encouraging women to run for public office. In her early career after college, she was a research assistant with the Fetzer Institute with the assignment to be the “spiritual Thomas Jefferson” and explore the meaning of freedom of spirit. This work had a profound impact on her understanding of working in dialogue and creating wholeness in community work. As a former candidate for U.S. Congress, she saw firsthand the challenges that have resulted from our perceived polarized system and knows that we can accomplish so much more when we find our common ground and connection. For several years, Elizabeth has served her community as a real estate broker, led a sales office, and helped many people achieve the dream of homeownership. She sits on local boards and is an active member of her community.
Elizabeth and her husband, Vince, together have 5 children and own a small farm in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania where they raise sheep and heirloom chickens. They are passionate about human rights and well-being as well as activists in land conservation. Together they founded a local advocacy group for open space preservation and conservation of our natural resources. They also have created an organization, Little Barn of Big Ideas, to get their community to the table to dialogue about what has heart and meaning. Together their mission is to inspire, engage and uplift the human spirit. She is currently published her first book, The Civil Graces Project, and also writes a blog on creating magic in our lives, Queens Junction.