Reason for running: To have a positive impact on the quality of our school; to be an encouragement for our teachers and staff; to ensure our children are safe and well educated; and to make sure that tax dollars are spent wisely.

Platform:

It is my goal to help make decisions that will serve to make out schools safer, to enhance community cooperation, to encourage and support teachers, to increase the academic potential of students, and provide support and oversight of fiscal responsibilities of our tax payer expenditures.

Top three priorities:

1. Safe schools

2. Higher achievement scores with related teacher retention

3. Fiscal responsibility

Background:

I have lived my life in Liberty County, being educated from the Liberty County School System. The people of this community have always been kind and supportive, giving me the best background for my profession of choice. My parents, Bob and Helen Torrescano, were my strongest support and encouragement, giving me all I needed to go out into the world and succeed.

I am married to Leroy Strickland. We have a son who, with his wife, has given us two beautiful, talented and very intelligent granddaughters. I am truly blessed.

I am a registered professional nurse, receiving my RN from Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, with my bachelor of science in nursing, from Georgia Southern University, and have worked in my field for 40 plus years. My experience is varied, but has been in Liberty County. I have also spent 27 of those years working in the LCSS as health services coordinator, school nurse, and last, but not least, instructor for the nursing assistant program. Being a nurse in education has always been a priority.

I have also been a staff nurse at Liberty Memorial Hospital, lead nurse for the Liberty County Health Department, director of nursing at Coastal Manor Long Term Facility, a home health nurse, hospice nurse and parish nurse.