I have lived in the Southern Tier for most of the past 28 years, including the last 10 years as a homeowner on Elmira's Near Westside. I graduated from Corning-Painted Post West High in 1984 and earned an associate's degree in Liberal Arts from Corning Community College in 1985 before going on to earn a bachelor's degree in journalism from Syracuse University in 1987.

Address: 627 W. Gray St., Elmira Employer: City of Elmira (30,000) Job: Mayor Employer: Cornell University Job: Graduate School communications director Education: Corning-Painted Post West High (1984), Corning Community College (A.S. liberal arts, 1985), Syracuse University (B.S. journalism, 1987) Birthday: Dec. 2, 1966 (Currently 41) Political background: Democrat. Elected mayor Nov. 8, 2005, and took office Jan. 1, 2006. Re-elected unopposed Nov. 6, 2007

Since then, I have worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, a Web developer, a technology manager, and as a media relations professional. I am currently director of communications for Cornell University's Graduate School and mayor of the City of Elmira. One of my earliest jobs was covering Horseheads football for the Corning Leader and, later, I worked a summer in the mailroom at the former Aetna Life & Casualty payment processing center in downtown Elmira.

Since then, I have worked as a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and held communications jobs at Rochester Institute of Technology and Syracuse University. I returned to this area in 1995 to become the Star-Gazette's first online editor. I helped shape the newspaper's presence on Time Warner Cable's fledgling high-speed Internet service (now known as Road Runner) and went on to lead development of Star-Gazette Online and, briefly, served as the newspaper's Metro Editor.

I spent much of the last 15 years in Web communications. I worked for Corning Inc. after a stint in New York working for Accenture, the technology consulting company.

When I decided to buy a home in 1998, I made a choice, as a young professional, to buy a house in Elmira because I believed Elmira and the Southern Tier have a lot to offer. I still believe that.

I have a proven record of understanding the issues of the city, county, and state government and how they play out in all our lives. From controlling spending to creating jobs to making sure our streets are in good repair and safe, I have the experience to bring practical ideas and solutions to Albany. My work experience is diverse, and has a central theme: change and innovation. As a former newspaper reporter and editor who covered city and county government, I understand the business of government. In fact, it was my job to make sure others understood it, too. As a former Web developer and technology consultant, I understand how innovation and risk-taking can pay off. As a manager at Corning Inc., Gannett, Accenture, and now at Cornell University's Graduate School, I learned how to lead, innovate, and inspire.