Callie was born and raised in Traverse City and Cheboygan. Her family roots in Michigan go back five generations, and she and her husband are raising their children here now.
After September 11, Callie's high school sweetheart, Matt, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over fifteen years, their family moved five times while raising two young daughters.
When Matt came home with combat injuries, including post-traumatic stress and a traumatic brain injury, Callie became his primary caregiver and advocate. That experience shaped her work for military families, veterans, and caregivers.
Callie earned a degree in secondary education from Central Michigan University and taught high school English. Later, she went to the University of Michigan Law School, became a business attorney, and helped connect veterans with free legal services.
She knows how hard it is to build a life in Northern Michigan because she has lived it. Housing is too expensive. Healthcare is too hard to reach. Groceries cost too much. Callie is running because enough is enough.