Candidate for
Board Member; Union School District

While growing up I attended schools in California, Florida and Costa Rica. I went to a K-12 school in Costa Rica that had 100 students and a high school in Miami where my graduating class had more than 1000 students. I had the first hand experience of attending school for 5th and 6th grade in a language that initially I didn't understand. I appreciate the perspective that I gained from having these varied educational experiences.

I graduated from college in 1981 with a degree in Finance and completed my MBA in 1983. I have worked as a systems analyst, corporate controller and an accountant. For the past three years I have had my own accounting firm doing small business management consulting and tax work. I have also been doing school district audit work on a contract basis over the past year. This audit work has given me the opportunity to see first hand what works and what doesn't work very well in many of the districts in Santa Clara County.

I have been married for 21 years and have three teenage sons. Eleven years ago my oldest son began kindergarten in the Union School District at Carlton and I too became involved in the schools. Volunteering in the classroom, serving as the Treasurer of Carton's Home and School Club and working on the district finance committee helped me gain an in-depth understanding of our schools. In 1994, I was elected to the board of trustees. Since then I have been focusing my attention on the district as a whole. In 1999, I was the finance chairperson of the Measure C bond campaign and worked very hard on that campaign. I was overwhelmed with the support of this community for our schools as demonstrated by the 80% yes vote on that bond measure. Our district has accomplished a lot over the past eight years and it has been wonderful to be a part that success.