Below is a copy of the statement I provided for the Benton County Voters' Pamphlet for the Special Election, May 17, 2011. It summarizes my background and why I want to serve on the Corvallis School Board.
OCCUPATION: Consultant (part-time)OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1998‑2008; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, 1997‑98; Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research, 1985‑98. Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, 1993.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Ph.D., M.P.A., Public Administration, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. B.A., Political Science, West Virginia University.
PRIOR GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: U.S. DHHS, 1985‑2008. Maryland Health Care Commission Institutional Review Board, 1999‑2008.
OPTIONAL INFORMATION:
I believe that a quality education is every child’s key to the future. For me, education paved the road out of poverty. I owe my life’s success to exceptional teachers and mentors, all committed to high standards.
Depending on the incentives they face and the priorities they pursue, our schools can succeed or fail in preparing our kids to live and work in the 21st century. As the School Board fulfills its role in this system, I aim to represent the interests of every Corvallis child, from the most affluent to the most disadvantaged. To do this, I will listen to families, teachers, administrators, staff, and my conscience to identify what is best for the kids.
In terms of technical competence, I bring over 20 years’ experience in public service, where I managed large projects, contracts, multi-million dollar budgets, cutbacks, stakeholders, and staff. I made tough decisions as circumstances required; and I brought people together to find practical solutions to problems. My firsthand experience with Corvallis schools comes through my partner’s two children who, so far, have attended Garfield, Hoover, and Linus Pauling.
