Candidate for
Council Member; City of Chico

Growing up in a big family taught me a lot about how to get things done. I was born in Fullerton and raised in Whittier, California. I have five siblings. My father, Daniel, was born in La Habra, California and my mother, Socorro, was from Jalisco, Mexico. My father taught me to vote, be patriotic, to have a deep love and respect for the complexities of American freedoms, and he instilled gratitude for the structure of our laws. My mother was a non-English speaker. Speaking on her behalf has given me the impulse to speak for those who do not have a voice.

Unlike my two older brothers, I chose the path of work in my youth rather than college, but I recently graduated from Chico State in May 2014, Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science.

After high school I worked for Bechtel Power Corporation for several years in international accounting. I then decided to try my luck in San Francisco, where I worked for General Contractors including Mayta & Jensen as a Project Coordinator. We employed and contracted with primarily union professionals. I started a business with two of my siblings in 1994, but closed the doors after a short period of time. I found a place to hang my hat with FAFCO, Inc., a solar panel manufacturer in Redwood City as the purchasing manager.

My family moved to Chico 14 years ago during the first dotcom surge, after FAFCO's Bay Area landlord raised the factory's rent by 50%. I was part of the management team tasked with selecting a new home for the company. We narrowed our relocation choices down to Sparks, Nevada, Gilroy, Vacaville and Chico. Although Nevada may have had some attractive tax breaks, we decided the quality of life was not compatible with our corporate culture. We were greeted well by all three cities in California, but Chico hit it out of the park! We were dazzled by the recreational opportunities, Chico State, the airport, affordable housing, K-12 campuses, medical facilities, quality of life and the city's expediency in providing FAFCO with the permits to construct the 57,500 sq. ft. facility still operating and providing jobs for our community today. As Purchasing Manager, I had the pleasure of contracting with various local businesses to construct the facility and later as manufacturing supply vendors. FAFCO, Inc. brought 19 employees from Redwood City and hired 53 locally. The City of Chico has all the attractions of a thriving city and is a great place to raise our children.

Now, I am a married mother of three: Antonio (20), who is attending Butte College, Alejandro (14) and Lucinda (12), who both attend Chico Jr. High. My husband Daniel works for Bell Carter Foods in Corning. I enjoy participating with the PTA and getting involved in various community activities, such as the yearly Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, providing food at the Torres Shelter, and participating in the Pride Event to name just a few. For the past six years, I have been the Youth Director for Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Chico, and I am an active Church council member. My work with the youth at Trinity is very important to me. I believe young people need to have access to wholesome activities that provide them with the ability to build healthy and productive relationships with their peers and their community.

I have a unique blend of a calling to serve my community and business acumen. This combination is exactly what our community needs. I understand what it is like to work long hours fighting for each dollar earned, and to worry about whether your business will succeed. I understand that building community through trust and relationships is the key to effective leadership. I will work for smart and sustainable growth, learn from past mistakes, and build bridges of communication. Everyone should have a voice at the table and I will listen. I believe that everyone has a right to a good education, a safe environment, clean food and water, recreation and access to healthcare. I have a tough skin but a tender heart, and I am ready to be your new leader for a fresh start!