whose career spans more than three decades of strengthening public systems and expanding opportunity for diverse communities. 

As a first-generation immigrant raised by a single mother, I understand what it means to navigate systems that were not always designed with our communities in mind. I bring a grounded understanding of how policy decisions affect working families, immigrants, and small businesses.

I am running for Seattle City Council because I have the skillsets to solve problems and deliver results. Whether it’s housing affordability, public safety, transportation, climate action, or economic opportunity, I will lead with collaboration, accountability, and a commitment to equity.

Most importantly, I will build a Seattle where young people can afford to stay, build careers, and continue shaping the future of this city.

As a National Board Certified Teacher, I have spent my professional life in public and higher education, training teachers to support multilingual learners and students with diverse needs. I have held leadership and faculty roles at the University of Washington and Seattle University, where I designed and led large-scale programs, managed complex public budgets, and built cross-sector partnerships with school districts, nonprofits, and government agencies. My work reflects a consistent focus on accountability, equity, and practical outcomes.

I also bring financial expertise to public service. As a founder and a former chair of a community bank in District 5, I helped small businesses and entrepreneurs access equitable loan rates while navigating regulatory requirements and economic uncertainty, experience that informs my approach to fiscal stewardship and local economic development. With my support, the bank was able to contribute a percentage of income to local community nonprofit organizations, and I helped immigrants and people excluded from traditional financing.

Outside formal roles, I enjoy building community at the neighborhood level. I serve on the Haller Lake Community Club board, volunteer at the food bank, host neighborhood book club, and lead FuseD5 walks, bringing residents together to support small businesses, explore neighborhood green spaces, and foster stronger connections across District 5.

As a deeply engaged civic leader, I serve on the King County election oversight committee to ensure inclusive voting practices, as Co-Chair of the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission, as a member of the 32nd Legislative District Democrats, and as a delegate of the Washington State Democratic Party. My public service reflects a long-standing commitment to democratic participation and public trust.

My family is proud to be a union household, with my membership in the Washington Education Association and my husband’s membership in UFCW 3000, bringing lived experience, policy expertise, and steady leadership to District 5. I am not cooking or hosting tea parties, you can find me in local coffee shops in District 5. 

I am a product of public institutions. I earned my BA from UCLA, MA from Cal State LA, and my PhD at UW. Public education opened doors, and I have dedicated my career to expanding opportunities for others.