The daughter of a teacher and a CHP officer, I grew up in Napa. My first political memory is walking door to door at the age of six (with my Mom of course!). I was hooked on the power of listening, engaging and advocating for important issues and ideas. Since last March I have been walking door-to-door in District 6. I have been to thousands of homes and walked on everyone’s street. I can honestly say that no one is more knowledgeable about the concerns and experiences of the people in my district.
After graduating from UCLA, I taught fourth and fifth grade in South Central Los Angeles. This was a challenging experience and a powerful learning experience for me in what is needed to educate our most vulnerable students. I will bring my understanding of education policy to my role on the City Council.
After teaching, I got my Master’s Degree in English from Cal State Northridge and my law degree from USC. I had my son 7 weeks into my first year of law school. He is now 26 and lives in DC. I clerked for a federal judge for a year. I started at Munger, Tolles & Olson in 1997, made partner in 2005, and I have been practicing law for 22 years. I was the first woman to make partner at my firm who had been pregnant as an associate. My daughter is now 19 and a sophomore at Penn State. My husband is a math teacher and boys basketball coach at Bonita High School in LaVerne. I will bring the judgment, problem solving, and legal know-how that I have honed over my legal career to the City Council. I also know how to juggle important priorities and I bring the perspective of a mother to the City Council.
I generally practice in the area of entertainment litigation but I have focused my pro bono work on two main areas: education and police best practices and oversight.
Primary Center Task Force. Beginning in 1997, I served on the LAUSD Primary Center Task Force, a public/private partnership lead by the LAUSD Superintendent and the Mayor of Los Angeles, to build K-3 neighborhood schools. When the task force began, LAUSD had not built a new school in 30 years—the bond passage percentage was too high to get the necessary votes. Young children were boarding buses to attend school far away from home, further diminishing their parent’s ability to participate in their education. We worked with neighborhoods and the private sector to identify available lots and procured them at reasonable prices, incentivized timely construction, and opened a number of beautiful neighborhood schools. I know how to work with the private sector to create win-win solutions.
Rampart Commission. In 1999-2000, I served on the Rampart Commission investigating misconduct in the LAPD and the systemic failures that led to that misconduct. I was one of the key drafters of the section of the report on Discipline—both the analysis and recommendations for reform. I am well-versed in police best practices. Ensuring public safety is one of the key charges of the City Council.
South Pasadena School Board. In 2001, I was elected to the South Pasadena School Board. I served on the SPUSD School Board from 2001-2005. I understand what it means to serve on a policy-making board and how to get things accomplished, the requirements of the Brown Act, the role of staff, and the importance of listening and responding to constituents.
Community Involvement. In 2008, we moved to Pasadena, District 6. In Pasadena, I served on the Pasadena Human Relations Commission. I have been on the Board of Armory Center for the Arts for the past 10 years, and am a past President. I serve on the Boards of Muse/Ique and the Los Angeles Review of Books as well. I have deep connections within the community.
I am also a member of the Pasadena Educational Foundation Board, serving as Vice President of Community Engagement, Vice President of Board Affairs, Chair of Strategic Planning and I am currently Chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee. I have been very involved with public education issues over the years and with PUSD in particular—I know and understand education policy and PUSD. This is an important attribute that I will bring to the council. All of the PUSD School Board members that are endorsing are endorsing me. We have a mutual respect and the ability to cooperate for the benefit of our children.
Citizens Commission on Jail Violence. In 2011-2012, I served as one of the lead deputy general counsel for the Citizens Commission on Jail Violence, leading the investigation into the misconduct of the Los Angeles Sherriff Department and making recommendations for reform. Again, I was one of the drafters of key sections of the report. From 2014-2018, I served on the LASD Inmate Welfare Commission under Sherriff McDonnell. I have a good understanding of our jail system and the reforms necessary to keep all of us safer.
Defeating Vouchers. In 2015, I became deeply involved with stopping school privatization efforts. I represented children and parents in Nevada public schools and led the litigation team that blocked implementation of Nevada’s sweeping voucher program that would have gutted Nevada’s already insufficient public education budget. Thereafter, I founded—with the Education Law Center and the Southern Poverty Law Center—an organization called Public Funds Public Schools, which is committed to providing advocacy and other support to individual states to protect public education funding. I know how and when to use litigation for the social good.
Democracy and Inclusion. In 2017, I was asked to join the Equal Voices Advisory Counsel of the National Democratic Institute (“NDI”). NDI is led by Madeline Albright and works to promote democracy in developing countries. The Equal Voices Advisory Council focuses on the inclusion of diverse voices in developing democracies. I will bring my experience in democracy systems, fostering inclusiveness, and consensus building to the City Council.
