A PASSION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION

 

It’s been a privilege to serve on the Orange Unified School Board since 2018. For me, this is a chance to give back to a community that I’ve been a part of for more than 45 years. My husband and I are both proud graduates of El Modena High School, and when we started our family, we knew we wanted our daughters to benefit from the same high-quality schools and supportive community we had access to.

 

Public education made a positive difference in my life. Whether the teachers who challenged me and helped me see where my strengths lie, the lifelong relationships I forged with classmates or the awareness I gained about the larger world, Orange Unified set me up for success. After earning my undergraduate degree at UC Irvine, I attended Law School at Western State University.

 

As a working mom running my own law practice, I always made time to volunteer at my kids’ schools and modeled the importance of community and public service. When I noticed that many of the local schools had not been upgraded since the time my husband and I attended, I joined with other parents to form a grassroots organization to support the passage of Measure S, the 2016 school bond measure that will generate $288 million in locally controlled funds to repair and upgrade OUSD’s four comprehensive high schools.

 

For my leadership on that effort and other service, I was honored to receive the Golden Oak Service Award from the California PTA, which is their highest recognition for service to children and the community.

 

In 2018 I ran for school board and was grateful for the enthusiastic support I received. Since joining the board, I have honored my pledge to focus on enhancing student performance and addressing the achievement gap, increasing transparency, upgrading communication and providing strong fiscal stewardship to ensure that district funds are deployed where they can have the greatest impact.

 

The work I do as a school board trustee is very gratifying. The success of our schools improves our community in so many ways. There’s nothing we can’t accomplish when we work together. With your support, I look forward to continuing my work in service to our students, families and staff to help every student reach their full potential.