Candidate for
Councilmember; City of Salinas; District 3

In 1949 I was born in Salinas, California, at the Parklane Hospital on East Acacia Street. My father was a painting contractor and my mother a bookkeeper in East Salinas where I lived my childhood days going to school at Fremont Elementary, El Sausal Middle School, North Salinas High School, and Hartnell College.

After receiving my A.A. in Business Administration from Hartnell,I pursued a career as an executive secretary and then later ran a pre-kindergarten/childcare center from my home. My formal college degree culminating with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and teaching credential.Most recently, I received a Master in Public Policy from CSUMB/Panetta Institute.

For over 25 years I have been teaching for the Salinas Elementary School District. Additionally, I have been an adjunct instructor in the English Department at Hartnell Community College.

Since graduating from the Chamber of Commerce program, Leadership Salinas, I have been formally committed to our community by serving on a multitude of boards and commissions to include: Meals on Wheels, League of Women Voters, United Nations Association of Monterey Bay, Salinas Library Commission, Salinas Park and Recreation Commission, Salinas/Kushikino Sister City Association,and Senior Center Board.

Twelve years of regional board experience includes: Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA), Association for Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG), President of the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority (SVSWA), and Past board member of Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA), Oldtown Association, Salinas Downtown Community Board, and a myriad of legislative, finance, and executive committees.

I am the recipient of the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship (Spain); appointed USA leader for Children's International Summer Villages (Denmark, Japan, Norway, and Canada); former community host for the Defense Management Resource Courses (Naval Postgraduate School); the recipient for the Monterey Peninsula Bahai Humanitarian of the Year Award; Delta Kappa Gamma Educator of the Year; and Leadership Salinas Hall of Fame, 2010.