Career Path of a Chief of Communications at California High-Speed Rail

I began my career as a television news journalist at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. I was a transfer student from the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita. I entered the journalism program at Poly and was there for about three years before receiving my degree.

During my time at Poly, I was active on Cal Poly Television. We produced a weekly television broadcast, collected stories, shot footage, edited, conducted interviews, and tracked all aspects of the production on campus. It was a great experience that helped me secure an internship in Washington D.C. at Dateline.

That summer, right before my final year at Poly, was a great experience. I learned a tremendous amount from it. I ultimately got my first job at KSBY in San Luis Obispo, an NBC station. I started in various roles there, including weekend producing and morning show producing. I also produced the 11:00 PM and 6:00 PM shows. Before leaving the station, I was producing the 5:00 PM newscast, so I was a producer the entire time.

A standout aspect of my years at KSBY was the amount of breaking news we covered. This was unusual for a coastal location, which typically has a more laid-back lifestyle. However, we experienced significant events like the Lacy Peterson disappearance and trial, the Michael Jackson trial, and a fatal shark attack in Avila Beach.

Hurricane Katrina also occurred, impacting the Gulf Coast. Our station sent two producers to help a station in Louisiana after Katrina, as their staff was significantly affected. I had the privilege of volunteering my time for two weeks in Louisiana, helping produce newscasts and stories in the aftermath of the hurricane. This experience was very impactful for my career.

I left KSBY and got a job in Sacramento at KCRA tv, the number one NBC station in the market. I began as an investigative and consumer producer and did that for about three years. Ultimately, I decided to shift away from news, as it wasn't fulfilling me anymore and I wanted a new challenge.

I then moved into the world of communications, politics, and public service. This was largely driven by being in the state capitol, where many jobs exist in that field. I was hired as the communications director for Senator Joe Simitian, a senior member of the Senate. I served in his office for several years before he termed out.

During my time with Senator Simitian, he worked on important legislation, such as laws against texting and driving, using cell phones while driving, and transitional kindergarten. It was meaningful work. Later, I was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown, in the first year of his administration, to head communications for a cabinet-level agency.

I served as the head of communications for a cabinet-level agency for the full eight years of the Brown administration. It was a true career highlight to work at that level and do impactful work for the state of California and its residents. I ended my time with the Brown administration at the transportation agency, overseeing departments like the Highway Patrol, Department of Motor Vehicles, and California High-Speed Rail.

It was a busy period with no shortage of news or work. At the beginning of the Newsom administration, I was appointed to my current role as the chief of communications for High-Speed Rail, the nation's largest infrastructure project. I have been here for over five years now. I am paving my way as a woman in this transportation-driven world, which has a workforce that is only about 15% female. I am happy to be making my mark in this industry.