Candidate for
United States Representative; District 24; Democratic Party

Nearly 250 years ago, this nation was founded on the principle that all people are created equal and endowed with the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is the role of government to secure these rights.

Brave men and women have fought to preserve these rights, not only in wars at home and abroad, but in struggles here, on the streets of our cities and in the courts of this nation. I am running for congress because I am concerned about our future, as a community and as a nation.

I am concerned about our livelihood, that too many of today's youth miss the opportunity for an education that would allow them to provide, long term, for themselves and their families. I am concerned about liberty in a society where access to the middle class is increasingly limited by lack of access to an affordable, high quality education. And, I am concerned about our pursuit of happiness as more and more families fail in their struggle to live the American Dream.

I am concerned that our planet is in peril, that extinction rates increase every year as our ecosystem tilts further and further out of balance and the opportunity to change course slips away. I am concerned that health care is increasingly beyond the reach of so many in our population, and that hard working, responsible citizens are driven into debt and destitution by medical expenses. I am concerned that the steady deterioration of our society's values puts the promise of our nation in peril, that the pursuit of happiness has turned into a pursuit of possessions, that we, as a nation, have failed to provide our children with the moral compass needed to guide them into a sustainable future.

Opportunity built this great nation and I believe that opportunity will fuel the next wave of prosperity. I am running for U.S. Congress in the 24th District because we need leaders who understand the critical link between a trained work force and a vibrant economy. Science and technology have been key economic drivers in this country since its inception. Today, the educational system is failing our students in these vital areas. As a nation, we must address this failure with policies that encourage education and job creation. In our region, we must clear the way for strong partnerships between our science and technology industries and the local schools. We need political leaders who understand how to create and advance public policy designed to develop opportunities for higher education and vocational training.

Santa Barbara and Ventura counties need a responsible and responsive representative in Washington, one with integrity and the ability to push the 24th congressional district's agenda while collaborating in the revitalization of the nation. I welcome the challenge and have a background that has prepared me to meet the challenge.

• Actual experience in governance
• Understanding of education at all levels
• Experience exercising prudent fiscal management in tight budgetary times
• Career background in science and technology
• International perspective, having lived abroad in England and West Africa