Candidate for
Trustee; Peralta Community College District; Area 2

Peralta needs effective and skilled leadership. I'll take to Peralta my many years of committed work on national and local non-profit service organizations targeting youth literacy, youth sports, college scholarships for capable but financially disadvantaged students, and youth soccer and lacrosse. Combined with my extensive experience working with public entities, conducting public hearings and maintaining legal compliance and transparency in government, I will be an effective Peralta Trustee from day one.

I am married and have two wonderful boys who are each excelling in their education. During my life I have done much more than just talk. Here are some of my accomplishments:

• Graduated from Cornell University and Boston University School of Law

• Worked with public entities, conducting public hearings and maintaining legal compliance and transparency in government

• Founded a local law practice specializing in Education, Construction, and Labor and Employment; all areas preparing me well for the Peralta Board.

• Negotiated public agency agreements, prepared legislative reports and resolutions

• Drafted a public agency Procurement Manual that was adopted by a state fiscal oversight agency as a positive cost saving device to maintain year-to-year fiscal responsibility.

• Drafted school district policies and procedures, including Bond Oversight Committee guidelines and procedures - work that helped to restore local control.

• Worked on Pre-School for All Campaign with Supervisor Wilma Chan and Superintendent Sheila Jordan to raise awareness of the importance of early childhood education.

• Worked with organized labor and a local school district to establish a vendor pre-qualification program ensuring contractor compliance with state labor laws.

• Helped draft social justice provisions of a local school district's Project Labor Agreement.

• Opposed Schwarzenegger's 2005 anti-union ballot initiative to require annual written permission for pubic employee union dues to be used for political purposes - volunteered and provided legal support at polling places to ensure voting fairness and helped organize fellow attorneys to help with election support.

• Was one of the first volunteers for the Hoover Elementary Super Stars Literacy Program.

• Helped develop cooperative skills and self esteem in young children by restarting a girls' lacrosse program, coaching the first under 11 girls team, and piloting and coaching an under 6 youth soccer program.

• Secured a contract between Merritt College and a non-profit youth soccer club that provides over 1200 youth with a safe place to play and provides substantial income to Merritt to fund athletic programs

• Helped protect women's right to health care and safe and legal abortion by working to pass Oakland's bubble ordinance.

• Drafted an agreement that became a template for the Oakland schools' health centers.

• Worked to physically improve the Calico Center, a site where youth victims of abuse are interviewed for protection and services.

• Secured soccer equipment donations for Frick Middle School and Youth Empowerment School.

• Volunteered as coach for McClymonds High School students who entered the Alameda County Youth Moot Court competition.

• Provided volunteer legal support for young women who were victims of violence from their partners.

• Chaperoned high school seniors attending a student leadership conference in Southern California

• Drafted a policy for youth engagement which honors student civil rights in cases where students are suspected of engaging in "at-risk" behavior.