Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Rio Hondo Community College District; Trustee Area 5

I have attended both public and private schools and have a love for education! Although nobody in my family had ever graduated from college, I was strongly encouraged by my parents to attend and do "anything" I set my mind to. On that pursuit, I would soon find the role models that I needed to help shape the direction of my life.

While pursuing a BA in English at CSULA, I took a job as the marketing director for a TV cable company close to school. Because the company had no budget, I decided to use their public access channel to cover political events as a way to participate in community affairs. I set out with a camera man and filmed Supervisor Molina speak on welfare reform, interviewed Congresswoman Roybal-Allard at her community clean-up and Senator Hilda Solis at her Christmas Meal for the Needy. I was then invited to join in the planning of many more events to include Special Olympics, National Night Out, Veterans Commemorations, Graffiti Removal and more. These remarkable women were making a difference in their community and that is how I decided that I wanted to do the same in "my" community.

I went on to earn a Masters of Public Administration degree with a focus in Government from USC. By graduation, I felt ready to run for the Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees. I won my election and served diligently from 2001-2005. I loved every moment of those four years! I was a very active trustee and stood for students' interests, the livelihood of our employees, and the promise of quality education in our community. One of my greatest contributions was the passing of Measure A in 2004, when we asked voters to help us rebuild their future campus.

In 2005, I chose to take a break from the board to focus on my new marriage and family. We moved from the Uptown area to East Whittier. I made sure that I had a strong family foundation that would allow me to contribute time to Rio Hondo and my community again before deciding to run again. I have two children that I will keep in mind when working to make Rio Hondo a better place for them some day and being the "role model" they need to shape their paths.

I work full-time in the building industry which gives me the expertise needed for my position as the Chairwoman and East Whittier Representative on the Rio Hondo Measure A Citizen's Oversight Committee. I ensure that our taxpayer dollars are being spent as promised in new construction at the college. I also serve on the Rio Hondo College President's Advisory Committee to add an experienced voice and keep informed.

I also work as-needed as an adjunct instructor of Political Science at the Los Angeles Community College District. I like being with students in the classroom and it helps me stay in touch with the challenges that Rio Hondo faculty experience day in and out. But there is nothing like handing an excited college student their diploma on graduation day who doesn't even notice you as you pose together for a photo, but only trying to find their family in the cheering crowd to yell, "I did it!" Priceless!