My Story

MY HISTORY

With nearly 10 years of experience on Goleta's City Council, I have had the honor of serving as Goleta's elected mayor for the past 6 years. I also serve on a number of city and community boards and commissions (listed below). 

When I first ran for Goleta City Council in 2010, my primary goal was to preserve Goleta's unique character through a thoughtful, managed approach shared by our community. Today I’m even more confident that we can do that, while continuing to achieve improved public safety, better roads, greater pedestrian and bicycle friendliness, reduced traffic congestion and improved air and water quality. 

I believe that by working together we can reach the right balance of safeguarding our environment, maintaining our agricultural lands, keeping our small town feel and supporting local business for current and future generations. 

Before being elected to Goleta’s City Council and then as Mayor, I had been a long-time advocate for children. I worked for the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara, helping parents of special needs children obtain services for their young ones. And before that, my background included such diverse experiences as working at my family's high tech business, waitress at Joe's, home business pie maker and bus driver.

I grew up in San Dimas before the 210 freeway overtook the orchards of my childhood. For nearly the last 40 years I have proudly called Goleta home. My husband Peter, a Goleta native, and I raised our two daughters here and now are happily spoiling our three grandchildren Colton, Dakota and Thomas.

MY PRIORITIES

Economy and Fiscal Responsibility: I'm committed to increasing access to a greater diversity of housing opportunities and vital services that are affordable. With the right leadership we can create the jobs of the future needed to sustain our local workforce, and that will in turn fund vital public health and community services.

Stewarded Growth: I am committed to protecting and preserving the character of Goleta's neighborhoods and environment by carefully managing growth and its impacts. I’ll stand up for Goleta to minimize the impacts of state mandated housing developments both in Goleta and on our borders, while working to maximize each projects’ number of affordable units.

Health & Safety: Our responsibility as your local government is to ensure public safety, especially including safe air, water, traffic, and reducing threats to the environment, such as climate change and oil drilling, processing and transportation.

MY COMMUNITY SERVICE

Before being elected to the Goleta City Council in 2010, I was involved for over 20 years with the PTA at the local, regional and statewide level. I worked with state and local representatives on Safe Routes to Schools, as well as successfully advocated for the passage of state laws increasing fines in school zones, reducing speed limits and extending the school zones.

I also served on a number of area boards and commissions, including the County Kids Network, First 5 Advisory Board, and the Santa Barbara Area Safety Committee.  I served a three year term on the Devereux Board.     

In the years since, joining Goleta's City Council I have served on numerous and diverse Boards and Committees. I currently serve on the following:

Boards and Regional Organizations:

• Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District Board

• Santa Barbara Air Pollution District  (APCD) South Central Basinwide Control Council

• Santa Barbra County Association of Governments (SBCAG)

• Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD)

• LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency (alternate)

• Hwy 154 Safety Committee South Coast Sub-regional Planning Committee

Committees:

• Homelessness Issues Standing Committee

• Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Standing Committee

• Revenue Neutrality Ad Hoc Agreement Committee