Candidate for
Director; West Contra Costa Healthcare District

Life long resident of West County, Attending Local Schools,including Contra Costa College and San Francisco State. Retired in December 1996 from Brookside Hospital, as Director of Financial Reporting. I have had 4 years experience as a full time Director with the West Contra Costa Healthcare District. 2 years as Finance chair and 1 year as Board chair. As the District worked to revamp its entire financial structure, I provided the leadership, discipline and foresight, which put the District on sound financial footing and earned the praise of the State Agency that oversaw the District's finances. I also conceived and put into effect the District's Reserve Fund, which will provide the District with additional financial resources for the future.

I am fiscally conservative and will leverage your tax dollars to enhance and not duplicate costly health services. I will work diligently with the board members to expand the focus of the Brookside Health Clinic to provide clinical services in each West County Community.

I am a senior advocate, active on the Area Agency on Aging's Legislative committee; we study and review bills in the California State and Federal Legislature the committee offers advocacy for or against bills that relate to seniors, also working closely with our Senior Legislators. I am also active on the Area Agency on Aging Health Committee, we assess current and proposed health related programs and systems (physical, mental and long term care) that affect persons 60 years and older who are residents of Contra Costa County, advocating for quality, suitability and accessibility to health care.

I support the Healthy Families Program that provides health and dental services for our poor children.

With the California budget in such a disaray, the Contra Costa Health Services department must reduce existing programs totalling 5.6 million dollars. The hardest hit programs were for pre-natal to children under 5 years of age and Adult Protective Services that keep our senior's out of harms way. Experiencing these types of cut backs is why it is so important that all health care providers work in collaboration and not duplicate costly health care costs.

I serve on the board of Contra Costa Senior Legal Services, they provide our senior's with free services. I chair the New Health Care Coalition of Contra Costa County, I am secretary to the Richmond Commission on Aging and serve on each of the Senior Ball, Senior Night Out, Mother Samuel's Birthday celebration and the Senior Information day committees'. I also am a member of the West County Senior Coalition and a member of the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

I believe that with my healthcare experience, working in the community, serving on numerous boards, committees and commissions I will bring insight, leadership and experience to the district board, and I will devote all of my energies to help improve our healthcare services in West County. I am asking for your vote on November 5th. Thank you