Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Lucia Mar Unified School District; Trustee Area 2

Shortly after graduating from Cal Poly with a BS in Business Administration/Accounting, I married my husband, Dave, a self-employed painting contractor. We have lived in the South County over 22 years.

I worked for eight years in the accounting profession until the birth of our oldest son, who is a freshman at Arroyo Grande High School, our younger son is now in fifth grade at Branch Elementary School.

I have volunteered in my own children's classrooms every year for 8 years. But even before my own kids started kindergarten, I was involved in Lucia Mar schools through projects sponsored by the Five Cities-Pismo Beach Branch of AAUW such as coordinating an essay contest for middle schoolers, and being a mentor for gifted girls and girls in the AVID program at AGHS. Five years ago I initiated the Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) literacy program at Oceano Elementary, which continues today.

In addition to these community groups, I was a charter member of the Central Coast Public Education Coalition, and represented that organization on Andrea Seastrand's non-partisan Congressional Education Roundtable. I am currently treasurer of Arroyo Grande Cub Scout Pack 13.

My experience includes serving on the District Budget Advisory Committee and the District GATE Parent Advisory Committee. I was elected to several terms on the Branch School Site Council, and one term on the Paulding School Site Council. I worked as the GATE Activities Coordinator at Branch Elementary School for two years.

People who know me know that I am honest, committed to education, and not afraid to ask difficult questions. I will be an asset on the board as a parent with children currently enrolled in Lucia Mar schools. I know what is going on in the classroom, and I am familiar with the current state of affairs at the district level as a result of attending board meetings on a regular basis for over 6 years. I know the principles of school governance and finance, compensatory education programs, and the current budget development process.

That knowledge combined with my formal education and experience provides a strong foundation to serve the public in maintaining an effective organizational structure that affords the students in our district the best education possible.