Candidate for
Board of Directors; Beach Cities Health Care District

Some people give back to the community to express gratitude for the goodness they have received in life. Some people do it for the glory and honor. I do it simply because I feel that I have to. My life has meaning because of what I do in my community.

I've been serving on the Beach Cities Health District board of directors since 1996 and I love it.

BCHD was founded in the early 60s to build a hospital in the South Bay. What began as a building to cure sick people has evolved into a multifaceted resource geared towards promoting wellness.

My service on the BCHD board has been a rewarding experience for me and I believe for my community as well. I feel a little awkward acknowledging my personal accomplishments on the BCHD board because what we do is truly a cumulative effort of so many people, but I am very proud of my accomplishments.

I have led the district's strategic planning for 12 years with my innovative ideas. I have empowered and challenged staff, community members and other board members to continue to raise the bar on what we can provide for the South Bay.

In an effort to help those most in need, I continue to search out programs that focus on low-income residents without health insurance, at-risk teenagers, and families juggling child rearing and aging parents. I pride myself on being the voice for people who do not have the resources to speak for themselves and I never forget my passion for women's issues, environmental concerns and excellence.

I work toward maximizing revenues in order to provide services to meet the community's growing demands. I build consensus on the board and listen to community concerns.

I'm very proud to say that my efforts in this community were recognized by the local League of Women Voters with their first ever, "Making Democracy Work" Award.

I am inspired by the people who work at the health district, the youth educators, volunteers and case managers. I am inspired by BCHD's Community Partners, the people in local nonprofit organizations who do such good work in this community. I am particularly inspired by the older adults who lift more weights at our fitness center than I can!

Some of the good work of the health district includes:

• Preventing childhood obesity by teaching elementary kids about nutrition and exercise
• Teaching teenagers how to make healthy decisions
• Encouraging adults to exercise
• Helping older adults stay active and safe in their own homes