I was born in Sanger, CA, but moved to San Bernardino, CA, on my 1st birthday, and lived there until I left jr. college to attend San Jose State University in 1972. I've lived in the Bay Area ever since. I'm the daughter of a high school teacher, coach, and city councilman, and a mom who stayed home to take care of us all. I'm the only daughter in the middle of 4 boys.

      In 1987 I started law school in the part-time program at Santa Clara University School of Law, graduating in 1991 with a certificate in public interest law. I now have a solo law practice, doing part-time work primarily in family law and simple wills and trusts.

      I've worked part-time as a teacher, 1st at the Adult Education Center in Santa Clara, teaching parent participation preschool and ESL Parenting, and later as a substitute teacher for kindergarten through 12th grade. I also did a long-term substitute teaching assignment as a 6th grade teacher at Santa Clara's new middle school. I've subbed a few times for MVWSD at Bubb and Graham Middle Schools. I chose not to work full-time when my children were little.

      I have 3 children: Sarah, who attends DeAnza College as a child development major and plans to go to SJSU in the spring to get a BA and her elementary teaching credential (making us 3 generations of teachers in our family!); Owen, who works in house construction with the great crew of men who remodeled our own house 3 years ago; and Nathan, who is 7 and attends Bubb Elementary School. I also have a stepson, David, who attends MVHS.

      I moved to Mountain View in 1991 and married Ken who works as a software engineer for a Silicon Valley company. He's worked in the field of computer science for over 25 years. Ken and I are both singers, both love music, both love the theater, both love reading, both love traveling, and both love tennis! I also walk and love the beach.

      I've been highly involved in my children's schools, 1st as a volunteer in my older children's parent participation schools, and now at Nathan's school. I was a room parent for Nathan's kindergarten class, was on the PTA Board and School Site Council at Bubb, am Bubb's parent rep. to MVWSD's "Communication Action Team" (CAT), and volunteered every week with Project START, Bubb's English language improvement program for children.

      I'm now involved in what seems to be the ultimate parent volunteer position in local schools - running for a seat on the MVWSD School Board.
 

Note: This autobiography was adapted from the one I was asked to submit to "Leadership Mountain View" for its 2002-2003 class yearbook.