Senator, California State Senate, District 25, 2008-2016

Assembly Member, California State Assembly, District 44, 2001-2006

Mayor, City of La Canada Flintridge, 1996-1999

Member, La Canada Flintridge City Council, 1992-1999

Senate Appointee, California Commission on the Status of Women, present

Senate Appointee, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, present

Former Member, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

Former Member, Aging and Long-Term Care, California State Senate

Former Chair, Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, California State Assembly

Former Member, Banking and Financial Institutions Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Biliteracy and Dual Immersion, California State Senate

Former Member, Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, California's Wine Industry, California State Senate

Former Member, Children with Special Needs, California State Senate

Former Member, Climate Change and AB 32 Implementation Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Education Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Elections and Constitutional Committee, California State Senate

Former Chair, Human Services Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Human Services Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Insurance Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Master Plan for Higher Education Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Passenger Rail Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Public Safety Committee, California State Senate

Former Member, Subcommittee on Community Schools, California State Senate

Former Member, Subcommittee on Education, California State Senate

Former Member, Women and Inequality-Strategies to Promote Opportunity Committee, California State Senate

Former Chair, Women's Legislative Caucus, California State Assembly

Professor, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, 2006-2008

Administrator, Richmond Unified School District, 1978-1984

Teacher, History, Richmond Unified School District, 1964-1978

Former Chair, Advisory Board, Graduate School of Education, University of California, Berkeley

Former Member, Advisory Board, San Gabriel Habitat for Humanity

Former Member, Advisory Board, School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles

Former Member, Assistance League of Flintridge

Former Member, Board of Directors, Children’s Museum of Los Angeles

Former Member, Board of Directors, Five Acres

Former Member, Board of Overseers, Claremont University Consortium

Former Member, Board of Trustees, Foundation, University of California, Berkeley

Former Co-Chair, Capital Campaign, Pasadena City College

Former Chairwoman of the Board, Child Care Information Services

Former Member, Community Advisory Board, Child Education Center

Former Chair, Endowment Campaign, Coro Southern California

Former President, Foundation Board, Pasadena City College

Board Member, Kiwanis Club of La Canada

Former Council President, Museum of Contemporary Art

Former President, Parent-Teacher-Student Association, La Canada High School

Former Board Member, Pasadena Education Foundation

Former Co-Chair, Physical Education Campaign, Pasadena City College

Former Member, Water Policy Programs Advisory Board, University of California, Berkeley

Former Board Member, Women’s Foundation of California

Member, Western Interstate Conference on Higher Education, 2002

Executive Director, Richmond Federation of Teachers, 1975-1978

Awards:

2014 Recipient, Policy Maker of the Year, from the California Reading Association; Marc Morial Legislative Award for outstanding public service to underserved populations in California, Given by the Greater Urban League of Sacramento; Honorary Service Award for outstanding service to children and youth in the community, from the California State PTA; "Summit Award," the Help Group, October 2012; "Visionary Award," Special Needs Network's 7th Annual Evening under the Stars Gala in Los Angeles. October 2012; "Senator of the Year" by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and Chancellor's Office, May 2012; 2012 "Senate Outstanding Advocate of the Year Award" from Easter Seals California; "Champion for Children Award," Child Care Resource Center, September 2011; "Momentum Award," the Women's Foundation of California, May 2011; "Legislator of the Year." the California Occupational Therapy Association, December 2009; "Legislator of the Year," The Arc ofCalifornia, November 2009; "Trailblazer Award,"The Women's Foundation of California, May 2010; "Summa Cum Laude"rating, The California Small Business Association (CSBA), May 2010; "True Friend of Seniors Award," the Congress of California Seniors, August 2009; "Senate Champion Award," Easter Seals Disability Services, May 2009