MJ was born in Terre Haute, Indiana and raised on Indianapolis' near northside. One of her favorite hang outs was the Children's Museum. Summers were spent at her grandparents' rural Brazil, Indiana home. Her family moved to Brownsburg when she entered Junior High, and she graduated from Brownsburg High School. She has a BS in Design from the University of Michigan School of Architecture and Design and did Space Planning and Commercial Interior Design for several firms. When her father-in-law owned a furniture stripping and refinishing business she assisted with preparation and detailing of furniture and replaced chair seat caning. She was a counter manager at Wm. H. Block for Elizabeth Arden cosmetics when it was owned by Eli Lilly, before becoming a stay at home mother when her son was born.
She has volunteered in different areas and capacities, just two being the Mozel Sanders Thanksgiving Dinner for 20 years and New Orleans after Katrina. She served on the Clermont Town Council for 4 years. As a member of the Clermont Community Development Committee she worked with KIB to plant trees along Main Street, started a Farmer's Market and other projects.
She loves to travel and hopes to see Ireland one day. She enjoys reading, movies, gardening, walking or biking, practicing yoga, doing puzzles, playing cards, arts & crafts and horseback riding. She loves photography and has exhibited at the Indiana State Fair. Also, she loves to laugh - it's great therapy! She joined the St. Andrew's staff in 1998.
