Napa CountyCandidate for Supervisor, District 4

I grew up in rural Napa at the end of Soda Canyon Road. My mother is a wonderful artist and naturalist, and she instilled a deep appreciation for nature in me. My family of origin is blue collar; there are several electricians, a teacher, a nurse, people who worked in food service and the military.

I graduated from Vintage High in 1995, went to Sonoma State for Environmental Studies, and worked in Santa Rosa for many years. I've had a wide range of jobs, from Round Table pizza to Community Market, selling veggies at farmers markets, and working for environmental non-profits. 

At the suggestion of some wonderful mentors, I went to Graduate school at UC Davis for Geography, and became the first person in my family to earn an advanced degree. My areas of study were regional history, natural resources management, and map making. As a instructor with the UC, I taught hundreds of local and state agency employees how to better manage their projects. 

While I lived in Sonoma and Yolo counties, I frequently returned to visit family and help with property maintenance. This has allowed me to stay connected to the greater community, as well. I was a founding member of Protect Rural Napa and have been active in opposing remote winery event centers, and also in analyzing policy impacts for Measure C / the Water Quality Tree Portection Ordinance on behalf of Napa Valley Vintners and the Growers / Vintners for Responsible Ag. 

As a fifth generation Napan, I look forward to representing the interests or ordinary people, and planning for our future together. 

I'm running for supervisor because I'm concerned about the direction of Napa County. Not enough is being done to address climate change, prevent the erosion of the Agricultural Preserve and Winery Definition Ordinance, ensure water security, and retain biodiversity. We need to diversify our economy both for the well-being of residents and to prepare for a shifting climate.

In my view, there has long been a failure in the Board of Supervisors to be responsive to the concerns of residents on a variety of issues. We need more inclusive processes that build community, especially around issues that affect people living in cities, where the County partners with cities on a number of projects.