Candidate for
Council Member; City of El Cerrito

I was born and raised in San Francisco in a multi-generational household with my three siblings, parents, and grandparents. Riding public transit and attending public schools, my interest was piqued by the positive - and sometimes not so positive - role that local government plays in the daily lives of residents.

After receiving my BA in Political Science at UCLA, I went on to teach underprivileged students in rural North Carolina through Americorps' Teach for America program where I gained an appreciation of the important role of public services in the lives of the neediest among us. I attended UC Berkeley's public policy master's program for training in techniques to improve the function of government.

I chose to settle in El Cerrito during my time at Berkeley due to the city's natural beauty and livability combined with its easy access to job centers. I volunteered for El Cerrito's Economic Development Board in 2007 and have served the City in that capacity along with five other board members, working to support existing businesses and devise methods to attract new commercial, retail, and entertainment establishments.

I joined the newly formed El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee in 2009. Serving with these two groups has allowed me to apply my experience with local economic development along with my passion for stewardship of the environment.

During workdays, I can be found at Economic & Planning Systems, an urban policy economics firm located in Berkeley. As a Vice President at the firm, I prepare objective analyses for public and private landowners, helping them make land use decisions.