Throughout my career I have made bolstering access to quality education a cornerstone of my public service. Prior to being elected to public office, I served as the youngest Chief Consultant to the California State Assembly Higher Education Committee. I had the privilege of crafting policies that improved educational outcomes, expanded opportunities for students, and advocated for fair treatment of student employees.
I’ve also been honored to influence education policy across the country at every level of government. In 2015, I was appointed by President Obama to the National College Promise Board, which was chaired by Dr. Jill Biden.
There, I worked alongside leaders from labor, business, students, and civil rights organizations to shape College Promise into a startling success – seeding promise programs in more than 400 places across the country, including California and many of its cities.
Locally, one of my proudest achievements as Mayor of West Sacramento was creating the Home Run Program, which guarantees graduating local high school seniors a tuition free college education. This program is among the nation’s most awarded municipal education initiatives.
Home Run connects every child to high-quality preschool, opens a college savings account with a public starter investment for every kindergartener, guarantees a paid internship in college and career pathways for local high school students, and awards college scholarships to local students who engage in community services.
These are exactly the types of programs I will champion and expand in the State Senate!
