About Me

As a young girl, I lived in Delhi, CA on an almond orchard and in Boulder Creek, CA on a family farm. I learned the importance growing your own fruits and vegetables, raising, and caring for animals and the overall dedication and love of land that comes from calling a farm home

When my family moved back to south San Jose, we lived in the Blossom and Almaden Valley areas where I attended the public schools – Vineland (closed) and Los Alamitos elementary, Castillero Middle school and Pioneer and Leland high schools. 

I come from a large family – with over thirty-five cousins and many aunts and uncles. I am the oldest of three children with a younger sister and brother. I am an aunt to five nephews and nieces. My partner, Jim and I have been in a committed relationship for over ten years. We have enjoyed and continue to enjoy sharing our lives with his two younger – adult children. Jim’s daughter and son-in-law surprised us last Christmas that they were pregnant. We enjoy being grandparents…although we wish they lived closer. With the high cost of housing here in the Bay Area, they live in another state.

My father was a wallpaper hanger (like his dad) before becoming a general contractor. My mom was a stay-at-home parent. My parents were high school sweethearts who married at Most Holy Trinity, the same church where I was baptized. I now attend St. Francis of Assisi.

I am a first-generation college graduate and the first woman in my extended family to earn a 4-year college degree. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Women’s Studies. 

I had to provide my own funding for my higher education, which I did by working three jobs during the summer months of college and at PW Supermarket working 20 hours a week during college. I did not accept financial aid, grants, or loans to pay for my education. I understood the importance of setting goals and working hard to reach them. I valued my earned income and saved my money to achieve and pay for my educational goals. I graduated without any college debt.

Although I worked through college, I recognized the importance of managing my time well which allowed me to participate in Associated Student Government. I was elected by the student body to serve as the Director of California State Student Affairs where I served on the California State Student Association (CSSA) representing San Jose State my last two years of college. This position allotted me to travel to every California State University in CA. 

I have been described as a “budget hawk” due to my commitment to ensuring accountability in government spending. In 2010, I co-wrote Measure W which proposed various cost saving pension changes for the City of San Jose. Voters overwhelmingly approved it. I also crafted a memo that proposed outsourcing park maintenance for the Rose Garden Park. My cost saving proposal was adopted and applied to pocket parks city-wide. I also served as an aide to former councilmembers Ken Yeager and Pat Dando.

I am proud of the fact that I am only candidate not accepting endorsements or financial contributions from Political Action Committees (PAC’S), unions, or any other organized group that receives funding from the County. Taking money from special interests’ shows a lack of impartiality and can have unintended consequences when voting on important fiscal and social matters regarding county business.

Thank you for your consideration in supporting me as your next District 1 Santa Clara County Supervisor.

I respectfully ask for your vote.