Values in Action

Why run?  A desire to put my values into action, not just think them. Why City Council? Experience, and a lifelong interest in how cities work (or don't). I served on the City Council, School Board, and Planning Commission prior to running for City Council in Ojai.

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These four years on the Ojai City Council have been an incredible learning experience. I've learned the difference between advocacy, activism, and governance. I've learned when to lean into each to get the job done. 

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The more I learned how Ojai governs itself — what works, what doesn't — the clearer I got on what I could do, what I wanted to do...and what this community was asking me to do. I also learned about place: the mountains and meadows, the people, the hopes and dreams that inhabit Ojai. I love the way people put their their heart, their energy, and their intelligence into making this a wonderful place to live, grow, and thrive. As a council member, my job is to support and facilitate those efforts. 

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Before Ojai, I was a project manager, most recently for a National Science Foundation grant, and one lesson has stuck with me ever since: budget oversight matters — a lot — but it's never the whole point. Impact is. I evaluate success by progress: how much positive impact was made for the people and places I was entrusted to serve.

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That's the standard I will hold myself to for four more years.