I'm a resident of beautiful Benicia, California and work as a senior environmental planner and program manager with regional government in the Bay Area, principally on land use, coastal and water resource issues. I have a long involvement with public policy issues and a history of community involvement and activism to promote human rights and protect landscapes (urban and rural) and natural resources.   I attended the College of San Mateo and San Francisco State University for my undergraduate work, and U.C. Berkeley's City and Regional Planning program for my graduate work.  I am Caucasian if that's of interest, and very recently evaluated for Celiac disease after having been diagnosed with GERD and IBS.  I'm a frustrated patient at Kaiser Permanente where a lack of Celiac specialists requires me to look outside of the health plan for assistance.  I'm also a hiker, a cook, a singer and a coastal and backroads enthusiast.