Candidate for
Council Member; Town of San Anselmo; 2 Year Short Term

I have been blessed to serve in a number of positions during my professional career and through my community-based affiliations that have prepared me well to be an effective representative of the residents of San Anselmo. I bring nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit executive management, local, state and national public policy, community and labor organizing and campaign consulting. Briefly, my professional experience is as follows:

o 6.5 years as a community organizer and Executive Director with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (4.5 years as Executive Director of the Connecticut State Chapter).

o 2.5 years as Co-Chair and Executive Board Treasurer of the CT Working Families Organization

o 2 years as Public Policy Coordinator for Marin GLN

o 6 years as a public affairs consultant with San Rafael-based public relations firm Kathleen Russell Consulting.

During my professional career, I have proven effective at building consensus to achieve critical public policy victories for working families. For more than a decade, in my current and previous positions I have played a significant role in shaping several pieces of public policy at all levels of government. Some examples of my ability to pass sound, meaningful policy include:

o Passing two first of a kind laws in two separate states (one in Connecticut, one in California) that address significant issues in meaningful ways. HB 6830 (CT) was a bill that protects consumers from a deceitfully marketed predatory lending vehicle (geared towards low-income families) known as Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs). HB 6830 caps the interest rates on these predatory loans at the state's usury rate of 36 percent (from upwards of 260 percent), and requires the firm preparing the loan to alert the recipient that they are receiving a loan and not their refund (in addition to having to alert the recipient to the interest rate of their loan). Prior to HB 6830, RALs were marked as "Rapid Refunds" where people who needed money immediately could receive their tax payment on the spot for an additional fee of $60. However they were not required to tell them the interest rate of the loan (or that it was a loan). Customers would receive their payments on the spot as promised, but in a matter of months, they would receive a bill for roughly three-to-four times the amount of their refund. HB 6830 ended that. The other bill, AB 1050 (CA), allows for child victims of abuse (as well as other children) 14 years or older the right to directly address the court in disputed custody hearings in California. Prior to this bill being passed, children were summarily prohibited from speaking to the court, even in cases where there was alleged abuse.

o Leading the efforts to pass over 60 local ordinances and measures, including working with the Marin County Registrar of Voters to implement administrative improvements geared towards increasing the electoral participation of Marin's homeless population and working with the Hartford City Council to pass a much-needed Charity Care Ordinance in 2004.

Finally, my local community involvement + both in San Anselmo and Marin County + has provided me with a clear grasp of the local issues and players, and has reinforced my commitment to keeping our community vibrant, family-friendly and safe. Recent examples of my community involvement are as follows:

o Appointed member of the Marin County Elections Advisory Committee

o Appointed member of the San Anselmo Parks and Recreation Commission

o Charter member of Sustainable San Anselmo

o Elected member of the Marin County Democratic Central Committee

o Assistant Football Coach, San Rafael High School (Head Coach of JV & Varsity Asst. Offensive Coordinator)

o Former Executive Board Member of the Marin County Young Democrats