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I am a longtime Palo Alto resident with more than 17 years of service to our community.

My deep knowledge of city issues, my 17+ years of experience achieving results for Palo Alto residents and local businesses, and my relentless dedication to protecting our quality of life make me the best candidate to advocate for you as a City Council member.

As city planning commissioner for the past 8 years, I have spent countless hours at City Hall studying Palo Alto’s most complex issues, hearing and responding to our community, and providing recommendations to the City Council to enhance our quality of life.

I am known among residents, colleagues, staff, and city council members alike as an independent thinker with the ability to both see the big picture and understand the details, who listens to the voices of residents and businesses, is straightforward, and conducts thoughtful analyses to achieve pragmatic solutions for our community.

Why Choose Me

  • I deeply understand our community and know the critical issues we face. Palo Alto has been my home for over 38 years. I know what our residents love about this city, such as our schools and parks, and the issues they care about, such as preserving the quality of life we enjoy in Palo Alto.
  • I have been focused on community service for 17+ years. I have been devoted to serving the city since being selected as President of my neighborhood association followed by appointment to Palo Alto-wide leadership roles with increasing responsibility, scope, and impact.
  • I will hit the ground running as a City Council member. For the last eight years I have been engaged on major city issues on the Planning and Transportation Commission including being elected chair by my colleagues. That service and leadership required constant interaction with council members, city staff, residents and local businesses and a proven ability to analyze complex topics, think independently, and make responsible decisions.This experience equips me to be an effective city council member on day one.
  • I listen carefully to residents, businesses and my colleagues. I am known for doing my homework. I prepare intensely, and am accessible to residents and local businesses. I actively seek their perspectives, and work collaboratively to construct reasonable and actionable solutions that serve the community. 
  • I will protect Palo Alto quality of life while guiding inevitable change. I truly believe we can make changes for the better going forward that will improve, not threaten, quality of life. I will help lead these changes thoughtfully, inclusively, and constructively:
      • On Housing: Plan for the right mix of housing types for our real needs and support the construction of truly affordable housing. Projects that displace lower-income residents to build luxury hotels or high-end housing do not address our overall needs.
      • On the Environment: Implement practical programs to continue Palo Alto’s leadership to protect the environment and respond to global climate change, such as dedicating park land, protecting creek habitats and the urban tree canopy, supporting electric grid modernization, and mandating best building practices that help protect wildlife and against sea level rise.  
      • On Local Business: Increase urgency to support our local businesses – especially the shops, services, and restaurants we all treasure. Easy access to customers is key, including more bike lanes, adequate parking, and attractive outdoor public spaces.
      • On Public Safety: Return Fire and Police employment to pre-pandemic employment numbers so people feel safe in their homes and on our streets. Expand enforcement of our city codes to address community concerns.

What I've Done

Through my varied roles in public service, I’ve established a solid track record of concrete and pragmatic outcomes for our community, such as:

  • Consistently advanced and promoted policies that provide and protect truly affordable housing while making sure that safeguards were in place to protect current residents.
  • Approved land use and transportation actions to protect renters, and mitigate traffic and parking congestion.
  • Appointed by City Manager to advise on land use and natural environment for the 2030 Comprehensive Plan that will guide policy decisions for the next decade.
  • Spearheaded the first residential parking permit program in College Terrace which has served as a city-wide model for other neighborhood programs.
  • Advanced tree protection ordinances and the dedication of Palo Alto parkland to preserve our urban canopy and our urban spaces.
  • I’ve held numerous leadership roles in Palo Alto, including:
      • Palo Alto Planning & Transportation Commission (former Chair)
      • 2030 Comprehensive Plan Citizens Advisory Committee
      • California Avenue Concept Plan workshops
      • California Avenue Tree Replanting and Streetscape Project
      • Citizens Committee to Update Palo Alto Tree Ordinance
      • North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan (NVCAP)
      • Pedestrian Safety, Bike lanes, and Traffic Calming advocacy
      • Community Working Groups: College Terrace Residents’ Association Board (including President), Palo Alto Development Center Advisory Group Community Representative
      • Nonprofit Boards: Wildlife Rescue (facilitated merger with Humane Society), La Comida (first county nutrition program for healthy low-cost senior lunches)