Candidate for
Trustee; Ohlone Community College District; Area 2

I began my lifetime of public service at a young age and in a very nontraditional way. As a young teen, I was placed into the child welfare system; or as it's more commonly referred to: foster care. It was this turn of events that would end up being the most formative of my life.

Through this experience, I was introduced to California Youth Connection, a foster youth legislative advocacy. As a member of CYC, I quickly learned the ins and outs of state and local government. I learned that having a voice and advocating for yourself is one of the most empowering things that can ever happen to an individual.

After I emancipated at the age of 18, I continued my work as a volunteer for foster youth while attending Diablo Valley College and Chico State University. Along the way, I was fortunate enough to meet dozens of community leaders and elected officials.

After college, I had the opportunity to work for the Contra Costa County Independent Living Skills Program as an Education Specialist. In this position, I assisted hundreds of foster you with obtaining a college education. It was then that I truly began to understand the positive role that education had played in my life.

For the past five years, I have served as the Coordinator of the Renaissance Scholars Program at Cal State East Bay. In that time, I have taken a relatively unknown pilot program and transformed it into a nationally recognized model for campus-based, foster youth support. While developing Renaissance Scholars, I also obtained a Masters degree in Public Administration from CSU East Bay.

Along the way, I have served on numerous local and statewide committees in the fields of child welfare and higher education. I have also been a guest panelist and conducted several professional development trainings, for various social service, nonprofit, and higher education institutions.

For the past 20 years I have been fortunate enough to serve those less fortunate by helping them advocate for their rights and obtain their college education. In the process, I have developed a strong reputation as someone who can get things done. With your help, it is this track record and experience I will bring to the Ohlone College Board of Trustees.