Bettina Lee

This interview took place on October 24th, 2018 and has been edited for clarity and brevity. Please update us on your mentoring of women to participate in the political process since our last interview a year ago. (e.g., appointments to boards or commissions, encouragement to run for office) My mentoring for women continues to be on par with what I have done in previous years. It includes looking not just at women who want to run for office but also women who are interested in appointments and boards. I continue to encourage women by supporting them and writing letters of recommendation and acknowledging that they are at very different stages, where one size does not always fit all. [Interviewer: I […]

Laurie Tumbler and Beverly Herbert INTRODUCTON: Representative Carbajal was enthusiastic and anxious to share his accomplishments in his first term. He sponsored 17 bills and co-sponsored over 300 bills, of which over 50% were bipartisan. He secured $2.4 billion to help fight and prevent forest fires and secured funding for 24 Blackhawk helicopters used in fighting wild fires. As a member of the House Committee on Armed Services, he secured $1 million in Department of Defense grants for UCSB and CalPoly, ensured female service members have adequate body armor suited to fit their bodies and fought transgender discrimination in the military. He also pressed the Department of Defense to expedite legal resident status for immigrants serving in the military. Below […]

Maya Upton and Karen Cahill, interviewers Please update us on your mentoring of women to participate in the political process since our last interview a year ago. (e.g., appointments to boards or commissions, encouragement to run for office) Senator Jackson told us that she has always mentored women across her offices. She spoke about her broad and far-reaching support of many women, including her endorsement and support of Monique Limon, Kristin Sneddon, Cathy Murillo and other female candidates throughout the district. Please tell us about diversity on your staff and any changes that may have taken place this year, particularly as regards women and their roles. Senator Jackson shared that she has always had a woman in the position of […]