After Cornell, I packed up a U-Haul and drove across the country to California with a Cornell friend (hello, Kevin Yelenik!) - and I have never left. I worked in Silicon Valley during the heyday of IPOs and then on to law school at UC Hastings (now UC School of Law, San Francisco). I met my husband playing softball in a lawyers' league in SF. After nearly 12 years in SF, we moved to Sacramento to be closer to the heart of government and politics and my husband's family.

Professionally, I worked in private practice as a jack-of-all-trades litigator, moving into state government more than a decade ago. Currently, I am a Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice, protecting the healthcare rights of Californians.

And I also got involved in local and statewide politics, serving as a California Democratic Party county chair, delegate, and Executive Board member. My husband, Kai, and I have three children, Bob (16), Langston (13), and Franny (9). In my free time, I sing in local choirs, lift weights, and volunteer.

During the COVID lockdown, I co-founded the Sac City Caregivers & Parents Union. We provide support to families who want to organize and advocate for children in our public school district. This year we are focused on ensuring every child in our District goes on at least one field trip. If you can imagine, most children in our District have never been on the grounds of the State Capitol.

I also serve as chair of the non-profit Northern California Construction Training, which provides pre-apprenticeship training and places students in good union jobs. I love this organization because we give people who need a first, second, or fifth chance the know-how and skills to choose a different path in life.