May 2018
Updated: Sep 6, 2020
WIRE on the Web
We’ve launched our website thanks to the huge efforts of many volunteers. Now, it’s easy to learn more about WIRE’s mission to help women enter elected and appointed office in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Check it out and invite your friends to take a look!
Changes at WIRE
Dear WIRE Members,
After almost two years working to create and launch WIRE, our first President and Founder Carol Mayer Marshall has decided to change her focus from overseeing the daily operations of WIRE to spending more time on the work she feels most passionately about -- directly supporting our candidates and marketing the organization. Carol’s vision has been crucial in launching and organizing WIRE and her continued leadership on women’s issues inspires us all. Although she will no longer serve on the Board of Directors, Carol will continue to be involved with WIRE in important ways to further our mission of helping more women enter public office in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
This change gives us an opportunity to call on all WIRE members to become more actively involved. Allene Zanger has agreed to act as Interim President and we have added four additional members to WIRE’s Board of Directors: Cathy Boone, Diane Sheardown, Katherine Loarie, and Linda Koelling. We need more volunteers to act as City Captains for many cities and with marketing and event planning. Please contact us if you are interested in hearing more about any of these opportunities.
Please also join us in thanking Carol for her tremendous effort in launching WIRE. We know that the foundation she has helped to create and build will serve our mission for years to come.
Thank you, Carol!
Sincerely,
WIRE Board of Directors
The Crucial Role of Special District Entities
There are over 2,000 governmental entities in California known as Special Districts that provide essential local services such as: energy, fire protection and public safety, treatment and service of water, garbage removal, recreation, and healthcare.
To help our members learn about these entities and to provide more information about seeking appointment or election to one of these positions, WIRE hosted a fascinating panel discussion on April 11, 2018. Over forty WIRE members participated in a lively event led by three dynamic leaders: Kathryn Slater-Carter (Montara Water and Sanitary District Board of Directors), Virginia Chang Kiraly (Board Member, Menlo Park Fire Protection District and on the San Mateo County Harbor District Board of Commissioners), and Sepi Richardson (City of Brisbane Appointee to the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency).
Linda Koelling, the President of the San Mateo County Commission on the Status of Women and the panel moderator, urged WIRE’s members to seek election to a special district board and to recruit other women to run for these critical positions. She explained that special governmental districts across the State of California collectively expend hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds each year to provide essential services to communities.
When asked what it takes to win an election, Sepi Richardson responded, “You start the networking early.” One of these positions may be right for you and WIRE can help. To learn more, send us an email.
Running for San Mateo Superintendent of Schools
After thirty-four years as a teacher and educational leader, Nancy Magee is running for San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools. She’s always been a passionate advocate for students, teachers and families and has committed herself to improving educational outcomes throughout her career. Although she was involved in youth legislature, her thoughts of seeking public office had been replaced by a love of teaching.
But the Women’s March on Washington re-ignited her passion to lead the change.
“As a lifelong educator, I’d always seen myself as a public servant, but realized I could do more to bring the change we desperately need in education. Nothing is more important than student success.”
When she decided to run, Nancy first sought support from friends, met with advisors, formed a committee, and engaged a business and campaign team. She’s never looked back. “I have deepened my community knowledge, crystallized my vision, and am confident in my platform of safe schools, high quality early learning, and improved career education for 21st century skills.”
Nancy acknowledges campaigning is non-stop hard work full of highs and lows, but with tough challenges facing our communities, she believes we need strong resilient women in elected seats!
Nancy is stepping up and you can too. Contact your WIRE City Captain to learn more about opportunities for elected and appointed office in your town. Through its skills database, WIRE helps to match interested volunteers with campaigns seeking support. WIRE does not endorse candidates.
Meet Your City Captain
One of the cornerstones of WIRE’s structure is a deep bench of City Captains who provide “one-stop shopping” for information about opportunities for elected and appointed city positions as well as a bank of women interested in seeking office. Say hello to your City Captain today.
Burlingame -- Jessica Moore
Mountain View -- IdaRose Sylvester (idarose@siliconvalleylink.com)
Palo Alto -- Alison Cormack (alisonlcormack@gmail.com)
San Carlos -- Norma Blatt (norma_blatt@yahoo.com) and Diane Sheardown (Diane.sheardown@gmail.com)
San Mateo -- Jessica Moore
Saratoga -- Emily Lo (emilylo@mplususa.com)
If you don’t see your city named above, we need you. Reach out and we can provide more information about what’s involved in becoming a City Captain. WIRE needs you to help lead this effort in your local community.
STOP READING - TAKE ACTION
WIRE's goal is to increase our membership each quarter and we need your help.
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We are building an army of people looking for women candidates and asking them to seek public office. You can help by telling your friends about WIRE. Here's our elevator pitch:
WIRE is a nonpartisan organization committed to significantly increasing the number of women in appointed and elected office in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. WIRE provides information about available positions, recruits qualified female candidates for elected and appointed positions, and assists those candidates with a network to help them achieve public office.
WIRE Board members are available to speak about our mission to groups in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. If you know of a group that might like us to make a short presentation or if you'd like us to meet informally with a group of your friends, please email us;team@wireforwomen.com.
Make a Difference Today!
WIRE volunteers are hard at work supporting campaigns of more than seven women seeking public office in our community. Contact us if you'd like to get involved in a campaign in your community
