Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 13

I graduated with an engineering degree from Cornell University. As I was always interested in the intersection between policy and technology, I pursued a degree in public policy studies at the University of Chicago. Unfortunately, I discovered that there are not a lot of ways to earn a living with a policy degree, so I went to law school at Santa Clara University. In my last year of law school, my father passed away. He left my mom and me to run a 280-acre commercial vineyard in Monterey County. She did the books, I ran the day-to-day operations. I learned about many issues of deep concern to our farming communities, including labor issues, water rights issues and environmental issues. When the operations were back under control, my mom told me to do what I needed to do to get my career back on track. I attended King's College, University of London where I received an LL.M. in international business law, and also became published internationally for my work in the area of artist's rights in motion pictures.

I returned to the United States to work in a law firm and moved here to the City. I then went to work in Silicon Valley in-house, ultimately becoming general counsel of Immersion Corporation. There, I spear-headed the legal strategy in the David v Goliath case against Sony Corporation in which we sued them for stealing our technology. The battle was long and hard, and we recognized for our tough battle nationwide by publications including Forbes Magazine. We ultimately collected an 82.5 Million dollar verdict, and created new law nationwide that helps stop abusive practices of giant corporations trying break-the-bank of small companies in litigation. I left company-life to work in my own practice, and am now with The General Counsel LLC, where I regularly work with smaller companies on how to help them build and protect the assets of their businesses.

My family came to San Francisco in the 1870s where my great grandmother and grandmother were born. My mom and I were born in L.A. I returned to San Francisco and have lived here since 1997. I love working and living in the City where every place I need to get to is a walk or a muni ride away. I live in the North Beach area with my dog, Asta (she is a precocious 6 month old shih tzu).