Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Role: Principal Deputy Legislative Counsel I (since November 2022)
Years of legislative service: Nearly five
The best advice she ever received: “If the door appears closed, find a window; then open the door for others,” from my parents.
Why did you choose to work at the Legislature?
My personal values brought me to Office of Legislative Counsel, and they keep me here. I see our organization’s values as aligning with my personal values, which ground me and guide my actions. My personal values include service, integrity, community and excellence, which are of the same spirit of the OLC’s values of client service, integrity, teamwork and excellence. Before working at the OLC, I served as house counsel for a state department. In that role, I had the opportunity to perform work on policy and trailer bill drafts. I loved it, and I wanted more of that experience so it only made sense to seek employment at the OLC.
We leave a mark on the codes as we prepare legislative drafts. Our codes provide the legal and social framework for our society. Everyone is affected by those 29 codes and the state constitution.
We do not make the legislative agenda at the OLC. We are nonpartisan, and we provide our services to the Legislature to be of service to Californians. The work that we do here touches the lives of nearly 40 million Californians.
I am privileged to live within the space of the intersection of my personal values and our organization’s values. For that, I am eternally grateful and consider myself wonderfully blessed.
What skill or talent are you most proud of?
I fundamentally believe that we are created good and our inherent goodness unites us. I intentionally seek out the common ground and quality of goodness in others. I feel that one of my life’s missions is to bring out the best in others and express appreciation for them. I am proud of my abilities to identify, bring out and utilize the strengths of others to foster their growth so that they can be better versions of themselves.
Who or what inspires you?
My brother, Robert, who passed away from cancer in 2017 at the age of 36, is my greatest inspiration. He had the best laugh, easily brought people together with humor, and found the extraordinary in the ordinary moments. He valued creating joy for others and taught me to seek reasons to smile and celebrate the little moments that later unexpectedly become cherished memories. He also unwaveringly believed in me and encouraged me to relentlessly pursue my dreams. In his death, I learned to appreciate the gift and privilege of waking up each day with the great responsibility to live a meaningful life well and in service to others. His life, death and legacy motivate me every day to love deeply, live unapologetically and be my best self for my family and community.
What’s one thing you love about your state?
The rich cultural diversity of our state is alive in our food, music, art and perspectives. California is a microcosm of the world. I love that I can experience and celebrate cultures from around the world in my own community. Our diverse population comes together with our entrepreneurial spirit and makes the Golden State the fifth-largest economy of the world. As a daughter of this state, I am privileged to raise my fourth-generation California children in the Sacramento Valley, nestled between the beauty of the Sierra Nevada and coastal mountain ranges.
What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?
I have a 2-year-old son and 9-month-old twin daughters, and my boss, the toddler, directs me nightly to read his Sesame Street Little Golden Books so I am close to reciting them from memory. For my own pleasure, if you see me wearing my earbuds on a walk, especially on a stroll around our Capitol Park during a break, I am most likely indulgently listening to the current episode of the “Hidden Brain” podcast, but I am always willing to put that on pause to share a conversation.
These email responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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