Candidate for
County Superintendent of Schools; County of Contra Costa

I was awarded the Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership in 2002 from the University of the Pacific. I received my B.A. degree from U.C. Berkeley and my M.S. degree from Cal State East Bay. I also hold an Elementary Life Teaching Credential and a Professional Administrative Credential.

I have spent 38 years in California schools as a teacher, principal and district administrator and have also served schools in the California State Department of Education.

I have been honored and received many educational awards for my work. I have been a Mentor teacher and was twice awarded for the science units that I designed and wrote for West Contra Costa Unified Students. I am the recipient of an Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America Award. Additionally, I designed and authored GATE curriculum that served Orinda Union School District students for many years.

In 2000, Senator Barbara Boxer honored my efforts for bringing the Berkeley Unified School District thousands of dollars in grant funds through a Title VII Grant. Students in Berkeley Unified School District also profited from my collaborative work with employee groups that resulted in students enjoying a unique summer extended year program.

I am perhaps best known for my work in the arena of creating school and business/community partnerships. Senator George Miller honored both my both school turnaround and business partnership work in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. While principal of Downer Elementary School, I led a school turnaround of Downer Elementary School that resulted in the school's award as a Bay Area School Reform Collaborative "Leadership" School. The hallmarks of this school turnaround were programs, and business and community partnerships that my staff and I created, such as:

• Bringing technology to the school through funding from multiple sources.
• Partnering with local residents, parents and business community to bring a school cultural change, which resulted in significantly, improved student academic performance and the elimination of the gang turf battleground that formerly existed at this school site.
• Founding a program to match elementary students with UC Berkeley bilingual reading tutors and mentors.
• Partnering with Mechanics Bank to bring the Junior Achievement Program to the school.
• Partnering with Read Aloud Program to bring senior citizen tutors to the school.
• Sponsoring annual Christmas Toy Giveaway programs.
• Partnering with local community "Neighborhood House" and Stanford University to implement gang violence prevention throughout school and community through patrolling, student counseling, crisis intervention, student tutoring and community outreach.
• Serving on Cesar Chavez architectural planning and construction team, supervising the construction of the first new school in Richmond in 50 years.

My specialty is educational leadership and I have done substantial research that has resulted in valuable publications and contributions to the existing educational leadership research bank. My career specialty has been furthering the academic achievement of students. I am a member of Rotary, Toastmasters, am a former Girl Scout Leader. I enjoy spending time with my family and devoted to community activities.