Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Cabrillo Community College District; Trustee Area 3

I was appointed to the Cabrillo College Board because of my long record of service in the community and my experience in creating workforce development models that support working families. My record of community service includes my work as Coordinator of the Santa Cruz Action Network, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz AIDS Project, Chair of the City of Santa Cruz Public Works Commission, Vice Chair of the Human Care Alliance and a member of the Temple Beth El Board of Directors. My work in the non-profit and public sector has been complimented by my experience in founding a democratically managed direct mail advertising business.

In my current position as Associate Director of Working Partnerships, I helped create a nationally recognized program for temporary workers in Silicon Valley that provides truly affordable health coverage, a training partnership with a community college, and placements in living wage jobs. Through this work, I have seen the successful role that community colleges play in training people for entry into a variety of professions, while providing continual support to individuals as they move up the career ladder.

A fundamental aspect of the New Economy is the shift in responsibility for job training from employer to employee. No longer can individuals count on long-term permanent employment but rather can expect to change jobs a dozen times over the course of their careers. In this new era, Cabrillo College must play a critical role in helping local workers receive training and re-training through low-cost courses that successfully meet the demands of the student body and local industry. As a member of the Board, I will continue to insure that Cabrillo offers the training necessary to provide local people with good paying jobs. With this effort, working families can leverage their studies at Cabrillo in order to share in the growing prosperity of our region.

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