About
Who I am
I am the current mayor of Pacifica, a small business owner, a licensed architect, a mother, a wife, an aspiring artist, a beekeeper and gardener, and a regular volunteer in my community.
My studies at MIT and UC Berkeley, along with my 40 years as a small business owner and architect, have prepared me well for public service. I've spent my career solving complex problems, managing budgets, reviewing technical plans, and bringing people together to accomplish common goals in creative ways. Those same skills guide my work on the City Council every day.
Along with my City Council duties, I also serve as Council liaison for the Climate Action and Resilience Committee, the Emergency Preparedness and Safety Committee, and the Pacific Beach Coalition, and also attend monthly meetings with the Pacifica Resource Center regarding unhoused issues. Regionally I represent Pacifica on the SMC Emergency Services Council, the SFO Airport Roundtable, and am a board member for Westlight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy). This year I was also selected for a statewide position with the League of California Cities on the Environmental Quality and Policy Committee.
Why I’m Running (again)
I love our beautiful town of Pacifica and its caring, compassionate community!
We are at a critical juncture where our bedroom suburban community with a wealth of natural resources is being pushed to change. Some change is good; some must be carefully questioned; some (such as new state housing laws) give us little choice. Are we doing the right things for our people and for the environment that we steward for the next generation? How will we move forward as a community to create a vision for our changing coastline over the next 100 years as warming ocean waters contribute to increased flooding and erosion? These are big questions coming up in the next few years.
We have been laying the groundwork over the past few years to improve our economy and bring in more business and hotels to increase our revenue, but there is still much work to do. We continue to struggle financially as a city. Budgets have been cut to bare bones over the decades, but it is no longer sustainable. Our staff is overworked and our structural deficit (currently at 2.4 million) is growing and is further threatened by state and federal cuts, such as the 9.25 million recent loss of previously awarded FEMA grants for bluff protection at Esplanade. We had 371 million in unfunded capital improvements identified before the recent tragic damage to our pier and the heartbreaking loss of the Chit Chat Cafe. That number has now grown at least 40 million more. We are the “canary in the coal mine” for climate change and cannot do this alone. Relationships with our county, state and federal partners are critical. I have built those relationships and earned the trust and respect of our higher elected colleagues over the past 4 years.
Throughout my time on the City Council, I've approached every issue with curiosity, respect, and a commitment to finding practical solutions. I believe good decisions begin with listening—to residents, businesses, community organizations, and city staff. One of my priorities has been keeping our community informed through regular newsletters as well as encouraging residents to participate in local government. Whether discussing housing, short-term rentals, the Quarry Reclamation Plan, or our city budget, I believe the best outcomes happen when people have a voice.
As your council member, my responsibility is simple: to represent you with integrity, transparency, and respect. I will continue working to strengthen our city's finances, protect our extraordinary coastline and hills, support local businesses, improve public services, and ensure Pacifica remains the welcoming, vibrant community we all cherish.
Pacifica has always been a community that comes together to meet challenges with creativity, compassion, and determination. I believe our people are our greatest strength. I'm asking for your support because I believe that, working together, we can build an even stronger, more resilient Pacifica—for our families, our neighborhoods, and future generations.
