About

Christiansburg Roots

In 1987, my parents made the daring decision to move away from their friends and family in Florida, where I was born, in search of life in the mountains. They quickly found work and happiness in the New River Valley and settled in Christiansburg, where I attended Christiansburg Primary School and Christiansburg Elementary School. While they moved outside of the Town in the following years, Christiansburg always felt like home.

In 2015, I married the love of my life, Robbie Hockett, and we made the effortless decision to choose Christiansburg as the place to raise our own family. Robbie grew up in Christiansburg and graduated from Christiansburg High School, and now works as the General Manager for Bull and Bones Brewhaus and Grill here in town.

Robbie and I live here with our three kids, Luke (19) and Natalie (17) who are both enrolled at New River Community College, Nora (9) who is in the 4th grade and loves to play rec sports like volleyball and basketball, and our two dogs, Alex and Oreo. Together we spend our time competing in family game nights, playing at the Huckleberry Park, and staying active as members of Blue Ridge Church. We also enjoy taking advantage of the many amenities around town, including the aquatic and recreation centers and our beautiful parks and trails. Though family life keeps us busy, I enjoy taking time to read, write, and play music.

Prior Council Experience

I have been privileged to serve on the Christiansburg Town Council since January 2022. During that time, I have consistently voted for improvements, decisions, and stances that were driven by community discussion, extensive research, and careful analysis. I respect our community members and their opinions and approach conversations with the understanding that there is always something more to learn. I don’t shy away from different opinions or difficult decisions. Over the last several years, I have come to Council prepared, researched, and open-minded. When making decisions, I consider the short-term impacts, but I also look at the long-term benefits for the Town and what will serve our citizens most.

During my time on the council, I have served on the Bikeway/Walkway Committee, Streets Committee, Emergency Services Committee, Central Business District Committee, and the New River Valley Regional Commission. I also served as Vice Mayor in 2024. Additionally, I am part of a regional collaborative planning effort with the Town of Blacksburg, Montgomery County, and Virginia Tech.

Some of my accomplishments while on council have included finalization of the Huckleberry Park, appointment of the Chief of Police and Finance Director/Treasurer, monthly council work session implementation for public council discussions and increased transparency, acquisition of additional parking in downtown, infrastructure improvements, supporting solar energy efforts, and I have helped make strides toward developing a secondary public safety building for faster response times in our quickest-growing areas.

Education and Professional Experience

As a career emergency manager for over 17 years, I have tremendous experience maintaining calm in difficult situations. I believe in approaching conversations with defendable positions, a clear stance, and a respectful attitude. I am logical and analytical and work hard to make difficult information easy for others to find and understand. I am most often fiscally conservative and expect taxes to directly serve the community through services, amenities, and strategic economic growth that increases our revenue without continuous tax increases.

As a former employee of the Town, I took pride in promoting safety and safe practices for Public Works, eventually supporting all Town departments and their employees. I believe that the Town’s services are exactly that – services that should serve the community and build the warmth and home-town feel that I experienced as a kid – the same feelings that brought me back to Christiansburg as an adult to raise my own family.

I consider myself a lifelong learner who values both traditional education and hands-on experience. I hold a Master’s of Public Administration and Disaster Management and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security from Liberty University. I also hold a graduate certificate in Educational Technology and Online Instruction. I am currently enrolled in the PhD in Public Administration program through Liberty University. In addition to my education, I hold several professional certifications. I am a Certified Emergency Manager, Master Exercise Practitioner, Virginia Professional Emergency Manager, Six Sigma Green Belt, and 5S Specialist.

I have experience working in many types of organizations, including non-profits, public health, volunteer management, public safety, local and state government, and higher education. In my daily work, I am a Senior Associate at the Cadmus Group, where I use my years of experience to foster leaders and protect our nation from disasters through critical preparedness support efforts. One thing that is consistent in each of my roles has been the need to establish strong relationships, make sound decisions, and facilitate clear communications.