Candidate for
Board Member; Palomar Community College District; Full Term

I attended Pasadena City College. There, as a first generation college student, I learned that the doors of higher education were open to me. I went on to earn both my Bachelors and Masters degrees at San Diego State University and was awarded a Kellogg Fellowship to earn my doctorate in Community College Leadership from the University of Texas, Austin.

My entire professional career has been dedicated to serving community college students, first as a faculty member, as an academic administrator at Grossmont College and most recently as a member of the Board of Trustees at Palomar College.

I started at Grossmont College in 1974 as a part-time instructor and received an appointment as full-time member of the Child Development Faculty in 1975. Over the next 25 years I served Grossmont College in the following areas: as Faculty, Child Development, as the Dean of Humanities and International Programs, as Dean of Communication and Fine Art, as Dean, Business and Vocational Education and as the Vice-President of Academic Affairs.

During my four year term as trustee I have been actively involved with the college and have an intimate knowledge of the challenges and responsibilities that the college must face. As President of the Governing Board I represented the board and served on the All College Presidential Search Committee. I chaired the Governing Board Presidential Interviews and oversaw the smooth transition from one long term president to the dynamic, newly appointed, Dr. Sherrill Amador.

Dr. Amador in her first year engaged the entire college in a successful Strategic Planning process culminating in a published plan with goals and objectives for this year. I attended and participated in those sessions. I also have been involved in the Facility Master Planning Sessions which will determine the overall plan for campuses and satellites and their facility needs for the next twenty years.

I have been appointed as a member of an Accreditation Team to evaluate another college in the California system.

I serve on Foundation Gala Committee annually raising $80,000 for Palomar students for essential services and equipment not provided by the state. Items such as student scholarships, library technology and automation and furniture and equipment for the Student Center currently under construction.

I serve my community in other ways than my work as a trustee at Palomar. I volunteer with Voices for Children as Court Appointed Special Monitor working with children who are in the dependency court system through no fault of their own. I help them navigate through the entanglement of an overburdened legal system. I work to foster a sense of hope and optimism in each child with whom I work I participate in ProLiteracy Worldwide where I volunteer weekly as a tutor to foreign-born adults learning to speak English. We focus on their comprehension, confidence and fluency of spoken English. I also serve this organization on their county-wide board. I am a member of American Association of University Women where I served Poway area chapter as Educational Foundation chairperson 2001-02 raising funds for scholarships and fellowships.

I am honored that The ARC in North County has recently recognized me as a recipient of their prestigious Dove Award for outstanding commitment to volunteer work in our North County community. This year's honorees will be celebrated at the annual luncheon to be held at the Rancho Bernardo Inn on October 25th.