Candidate for
Recall of Gray Davis; State of California

Basic Facts Regarding Marc Valdez

Age 46. Hails from New Mexico. Born in Albuquerque in 1956 and raised in Corrales, just outside Albuquerque. Resident of Sacramento, California since 1990.

Education

Ph.D. (1987) and M.S. (1985) in Atmospheric Sciences (minor, Physics), University of Arizona, Tucson. B.S. in Physics and in History (minor, Mathematics), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. First two undergraduate years at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro. Graduated from West Mesa High School, in Albuquerque in 1974.

Work History

Post-doctoral positions at Arizona State University, Tempe, and University of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Since 1990, I've been Air Quality Meteorologist at Sierra Research, an air quality consulting firm located in Sacramento. Most of my duties concern dispersion modeling, an essential step that industry must follow in the process of obtaining a permit from regulatory agencies for polluting the air. Tell me how tall your smokestack is, plus a few other details, and I'll tell you, from a regulatory standpoint, how much of an impact you'll have on air quality.

Hobbies

I have a fondness for performing arts, particularly ballet and musical theater. I have been a regular performer in various dance recitals (Tucson Community Ballet, now Tucson Regional Ballet 1985-1988; Woodland Academy of Dance 1993-present). I am an occasional performer with the Woodland Opera House, and a regular performer with Davis Musical Theater Company (DMTC). I currently serve as Treasurer of DMTC.

Miscellaneous Facts

The old-fashioned liberal in me recoils at some of this, regarding it as irrelevant, but things have changed since the 1950's, and so it's pertinent today.....

Family: Single, no children (unless a dog and a house rabbit count).

Religion: Agnostic

Strength: An eternal optimist, no matter how dark things get.

Weakness: An eternal optimist, no matter how dark things get.

Sexual Orientation: Even though I like show tunes, and prance about in tights, I'm not gay.

Celebrity Hero: Kylie Minogue

Vice: A fondness for casino blackjack (which informs my opinion that we should start closing casinos in California, not opening new ones).

Most Proud Of: Despite what might seem like obvious risks, for the last year, with no scandal and with few problems, my colleagues at DMTC have entrusted me with the position as their Treasurer, handling about $10,000 per month of their cash and checks.