Candidate for
Board Member; Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District; Division 1

I am the Director of a local organization dedicated to nurturing democracy at the grassroots level and protecting local control over resources.

I grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a community facing water crises in recent years. In 2003, the nation's top water manager said that New Mexico was a "poster child" for the West's water crisis. For the past decade the City of Santa Fe has imposed water rations on the community - I remember saving bath and dish water so that my mother was able to water her garden. I know how important it is to protect our water - not just the quality - but also our right to it.

The communities in the mountains of the Southwest are suffering because their water rights have been sold to places like Los Angeles and Phoenix. I understand from experience that we cannot let that happen here on the Northcoast.

I have dedicated my time to protecting local communities from the harmful affects of international trade agreements that favor large corporations over the rights of people and communities. My concern for water issues stems from an understanding that water is a public resource that must not be privatized. Privitization in other communities has led to rate hikes, poorer quality and less accessibility.

At Democracy Unlimited I lead educational workshops for the public, oversee the organization's staff, supervise volunteers and manage the finances for the organization.

I also work as the bookkeeper and Secretary to the Board of the California Center for Community Democracy, a California not-for-profit corporation. I serve as a volunteer and bookkeeper for the Humboldt Exchange Community Currency project and I am an appointed member of the Eureka Housing Advisory Board.

I attended Hampshire College in rural Massachusetts for three years where I studied education and community. After moving to Eureka I graduated from New College of California in Santa Rosa.