I have worked for a wide variety of government entities in California. I have many years of experience in a variety of public service areas. For example, I have worked in public health education, human resources, health benefits administration, California Workers’ Compensation administration, public risk management and safety, and employee rights education. My first venture into government was with the Department of Public Health for the City and County of San Francisco as a youth public health educator, charged with educating students/peers on the prevention of spreading HIV. While in college I was an intern with the California Department of Public Health and a part time health educator for student athletes. I worked with the school board of trustees to create and coordinate a health awareness week, with a focus on AIDS education. After college I was employed by a Native America tribe in Northern California as a Health Director and went on to become a Native American Substance Abuse Councilor. It is these early years of employment that solidified my career path towards government and the public servant model. I am very proud of my long history of government service. Fortunately, through the years, my career has also allowed me to partner with many private employers. This exposure has provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the nuances between private or public employers.