Candidate for
Member, Democratic Party County Central Committee; County of San Diego; Assembly District 73

BACKGROUND: I grew up in Hendersonville, NC, a small Appalachian town. I was the first in my family to attend college, and I worked part-time, as well as receiving academic scholarships and grants, to pay for tuition and expenses. I am a Navy veteran, and I am a bi-lingual social worker. I have lived in Oceanside for over five years. I am married to Dr. Mike Byron, Democratic candidate for CA-49th Congressional District.

EDUCATION:
1. 18 months training as machinist, Blue Ridge Community College, Hendersonville, NC.
2. BA in Psychology and Spanish, University of North Carolina at Asheville. Graduated Summa cum Laude.
3. MA in Social Work, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, a historically Black university.

WORK EXPERIENCE: Currently employed as a Social Worker in Orange County, where most of my caseload are Spanish-speaking clients. My past work experience includes 18 months as a machinist, one year of teaching high school Spanish, 10 years as a Navy officer, 10+ years in Social Work.

As an officer in the Navy for 10 years, I was twice decorated for superior performance, receiving the Navy Achievement Medal and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Among other duty assignments, I was stationed in Germany for two years, and deployed to a remote Aleution Island (Amchitka) for four months.

INTERESTS:
1. While living in Germany, I learned the skills of skeet and parcours (sporting clays), and received several awards in competitions across Europe.
2. In my spare time, I read extensively in Spanish.
3. I spend a great deal of time every day in reading about national and world politics.
4. I enjoy gardening, and creating a natural habitat for our six African spurred thigh tortoises.
5. I am very interested in environmental issues, and particularly in preservation of wetlands.

REASON FOR BEING A CANDIDATE: I am a candidate for the San Diego Democratic Party Central Committee because I believe that a grass-roots effort is needed to return the Democratic Party to its founding principles of empowering people to become and do their best in life, and to leave the world and our nation in a better condition for our children.