COMMUNITY NEWS
Guzman named EPA Regional Administrator D ec. 9, U.S. Environmental Protection Commission (CPUC) for the last five years, Agency Administrator Michael S. appointed by Governor Jerry Brown. Her portfolio included leadership Regan announced that President Biden will appoint Martha Guzman to on issues related to fiscal oversight of become EPA’s Regional Administrator for utilities, broadband for all, water affordability, increasing access to clean energy Region 9. Guzman will lead the implementation programs and preventing disconnections of the Biden-Harris environmental agenda of basic utilities for Disadvantaged Communities. Guzman spearheaded in Arizona, California, Hawaii, the Interagency Solar Consumer Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and Protection Taskforce, the Tribal 148 Tribal Nations. Land Policy, and the Covid “Given Martha’s extensive Arrears Response. background in successfully Prior to joining the CPUC delivering access to undershe served as Deputy Legisserved communities, I am lative Affairs Secretary in the confident she is an excellent Office of the Governor where choice to lead our Region 9 Martha Guzman she worked on the passage of team,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said. “Martha is an expe- the Human Right to Water and the Susrienced leader that values economic justice tainable Groundwater Management Act, and will represent the best interests of the re-organized the Safe Drinking Water Program, and helped to shape climate residents in the region.” “I am honored to be appointed by goals related to short-lived climate polPresident Biden to serve as Administrator lutants and renewable energy legislation. Earlier in her career, she was the Susof EPA Region 9 under the leadership of Administrator Regan,” said Guzman. tainable Communities program director “And I am grateful for the opportunity to for the California Rural Legal Assiswork with the resilient staff at Region 9 as tance Foundation where she worked for we tackle the chronic and emerging envi- Swanton Berry Farm on human resource issues. Guzman started her career as the ronmental issues in our communities.” Martha Guzman has served as a Com- legislative coordinator for the United Farm missioner at the California Public Utilities Workers. n
Women In Leadership for Diverse Representation
W
omen make up more than half of the American electorate. However, California remains one of 19 states that have never had a female governor. One reason is there are fewer women in the political pipeline to advance to the top office. California has 120 members of the Legislature, and 32 percent are women. The Institute for Elected Women: California is the nation’s first non-partisan training and mentoring program for women newly elected to a state legislature, facilitated and taught exclusively by women members, both former and current, of that legislature. In 2009, under a contract with former California Assembly Speaker, now Congresswoman Karen Bass, former
State Assemblywoman Patty Berg designed the training and mentoring program for women elected to the California State Shirley Weber Legislature in 2010. California For details, see Secretary of State https://www.ncsl. org/legislators-staff/legislators/ womens-legislative-network/institute-forelected-women-california.aspx. A 2021 report by the Center for American Women and Politics found women hold 30.5 percent of municipal offices, which is less than one–third. “Women Representatives” page 26
Spring ‘22 Semester Begins January 24th
Apply & Register Today! COVID-19 vaccination or approved exemption required to register for in-person classes.
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 1st 2022 / 19
