In November 2008 she was elected to a four-year term on the Grass Valley City Council and has been successfully elected since. She was elected Mayor by her fellow Council Members in December of 2010 and again in December 2022. As Mayor, she holds monthly meetings – Monday with the Mayor. This gives the community the opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns and offer ideas in a casual atmosphere.
She retired from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department after 18 years, where she served the community as a Deputy Sheriff and coordinated their PEER Support Program for over 15 years.
She served on the Nevada County Civil Grand Jury for two consecutive terms learning how local government operated and community issues such as public safety, homelessness and substance abuse. In February 2007, she was appointed to the Grass Valley City Council.
In 2018 she was elected as President of the League of California Cities and continues to serve on their Board of Directors. She is a founding member of the Women’s Caucus and continues to serve on their board of directors.
In March 2022, she was elected to serve as President of Women in Municipal Government. Later that year, she was elected to serve on the National League of Cities Board of Directors and currently serves as Chair of the Small Cities Council.