Valerie K. Brown

Valerie K. Brown (born 10/30/1945 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American Democratic politician in California.^[1] She currently serves on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and has done so since 2001. Prior to her service on the board, Brown served in the California State Assembly from 1992 until she reached the maximum length of time for which she could hold the office- known as "termed-out"- in 1998.^[2]

Career

Brown was first elected to the State Assembly in 1992, after Bev Hansen declined to run for re-election as the 1990 "re-districting" had made the district significantly more Democratic. Brown defeated the Republican former Sonoma County Supervisor Janet Nicholas in that election.

She was expected to run for the California State Senate in 1998 as she was termed out from the Assembly and Senator Mike Thompson, who was running for congress, was termed out as well. However, Brown passed over that opportunity, leaving the nomination to California Integrated Waste Management Board member and former Humboldt County Supervisor Wesley Chesbro.

After Mike Cale, who had served on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors for 10 years, having replaced Janet Nicholas, resigned in 2001, Brown was appointed to his place. Brown was the first woman on the board since the resignation of Janet Nicholas 10 years earlier.^[3] She was re-elected in 2004 and narrowly re-elected in 2008.^[4] From 2009 to 2010, Valerie served as president of the National Association of Counties.

Education

Brown holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri in Secondary Education and English. She later obtained a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from Lindenwood College, Missouri^[1]

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "1st District | Board of Supervisors | County of Sonoma". sonoma-county.org. Retrieved 19 January 2014. 
2. ↑ http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/20080903/NEWS09/809030183/1035
3. ↑ "Metroactive News & Issues | Valerie Brown". metroactive.com. Retrieved 19 January 2014. 
4. ↑ "Incumbents lose Sonoma County council seats | abc7news.com". abclocal.go.com. Retrieved 19 January 2014.