Candidate Statement

I have had the privilege of serving as a Trustee for the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District for the past five years, and I trust that my proven leadership will result in re-election for another term.

I am the proud mother of two children (ages 10 and 12) who attend Sandpiper School in Redwood Shores, where my husband and I have been residents since 2003.

After receiving my law degree from Georgetown, I began my career as a litigator with Baker & Hostetler. Subsequently, I served as Executive Director of the Washington, D.C. chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs and co-authored a book about the IITs, the equivalent of Ivy League, educational institutions in India. Since the birth of my children, I have taken a hiatus from my career to focus on educational and public policy issues, which is why I initially ran for election.

On the school board, we act collectively as a governance team. In my term, our board admirably managed our district’s unprecedented, enrollment growth by expanding our Ralston campus, by building K-8 schools at Nesbit and Sandpiper, and by renovating each of our school campuses to create additional capacity, all of which was done in furtherance of our community’s commitment to neighborhood schools. We managed our budget well, keeping our salaries competitive to ensure that we attract and retain high-quality teachers and staff, while maintaining a reserve in case of an economic downturn.

While praiseworthy, I am most proud of my leadership on our Strategic Planning Committee, designed to provide an outstanding, educational experience for our students, not only in core subjects, but also in innovative curriculum, including Robotics and Digital Media.

Our students deserve a well-rounded curriculum to become responsible leaders, which is why I led the creation of enrichment programs in Model United Nations, National History Day, Musical Theater and Yoga/Mindfulness. I have also created and taught an original curriculum in Mock Trial for the past four years.

In my first election, I pledged to champion sustained improvement of our schools, to promote neighborhood schools, to advocate for creative solutions to our issues of enrollment growth, to support innovative, enrichment opportunities, and to seek long-term solutions to our budget demands. I still believe in these fundamentals.

Please support me in continuing to provide an outstanding, educational experience for our students. Thanks so much for your support, and please don’t forget to vote, and remind your neighbors and friends to vote, by mail before November 6. Every vote counts!