I was born and raised in the East San Fernando Valley, my family and I now live in Tujunga. Since 2009, I have served as the Director of Planning and the Environment in the office of Councilmember Paul Krekorian, overseeing policy and planning matters affecting land use, the environment, economic development and community revitalization. 

I attended Valley public schools from K-12 before going to Los Angeles Valley College and then the University of California Los Angeles, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science. I completed my master’s degree in urban and regional planning at California Polytechnic University, Pomona.

My professional experience has been overseeing policy and planning matters affecting land use, the environment, economic development and community revitalization. In that role, I have already achieved results for Valley residents. My work has protected green space, turned abandoned lots into city parks, revitalized blighted areas, preserved historic buildings, created good Valley jobs, required corporate polluters to clean up their operations, and curbed overdevelopment and mansionization.

In my spare time, I have served as a Neighborhood Councilmember in Panorama City, and am active in numerous community and political clubs, like the Sierra Club, Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley and others. I also regularly attend and participate in community meetings and activities, including Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council and committees and other neighborhood councils in CD7, both LAPD Mission and Foothill division's CPAB, Save Angeles Forest for Everyone (SAFE), Love the Neighborhood Initiative clean ups, Tujunga Wash clean ups, Save the Verdugo Hills Golf Course, neighborhood watches, and San Fernando Valley Homeless Coalition.

I believe in taking a communities-first approach to governing. To me, that means incorporating community members of all political persuasions into city decisions to get the best outcome for our neighborhoods. Unlike most elected officials at City Hall, I want to make sure our voices are listened to, our concerns are heard and we receive all the services that our neighborhoods deserve. I am not seeking to get elected as a stepping stone to higher office. My personal leanings are toward the center and my main priority is to represent the interests of all CD7 residents.

One thing that I will bring to City Hall that is currently in short supply is independence from the powers that be. Right now, things run too much like Sacramento with dissenting voices in short supply. If elected, I will be completely independent and fight for my constituents at City Hall.

I have over 20 years of experience in public service.  I started my career is an aide to LA City Councilmember Mike Hernandez while I was attending Occidental College full-time.  I then moved onto serve as a policy advisor and community liaison to Mayor Richard Riordan, I led the successful business and community revitalization efforts associated with the Targeted Neighborhood Initiative, created community outreach programs to increase civic participation and co-founded the F.I.R.E. Academy, an afterschool program developed in partnership with the Community College District and LAUSD designed to provide at-risk youth school to career education. I also served as a Chief Deputy at LAUSD, where I worked with local nonprofits and First 5 LA to expand afterschool programs and early childhood education programs.

I also served for nearly 10 years as an executive with the California Association of Realtors (CAR).  During that time, I helped create programs aimed at expanding and preserving homeownership for middle-class families, including helping deliver more than $75 million of workforce housing developments and creating the landmark Mortgage Protection Program, that protected thousands of families from losing their homes to foreclosure during the Great Recession.

Most recently, I served as Vice President on the Los Angeles City Board of Public Works.  As Commissioner, I helped improve fiscal oversight, streamline operations, and improve services.  I also spearheaded the creation of the city’s highly acclaimed Small Business Academy, which helps small, minority and women owned businesses compete for infrastructure and public works contracts, putting more resources back into our communities while creating good jobs.

Finally, I have served on the boards of various non-profit organizations including the North Valley YMCA, the Center for Powerful Public Schools, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles among many others.  I am also the founder and immediate past President of Latinas Lead California, an organization dedicated to the expanding the number of Latinas serving in elected office and appointed decision making roles.