Education:
MA, Education, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1990
MA, Religion, Yale University, 1964
BS, Nursing, Pacific Lutheran University, 1959.

Professional Experience:
Instructor, Early Childhood Education, Santa Barbara City College
Director, Santa Barbara County Parent and Child Enrichment Center
Director, Santa Barbara County Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project
Nurse/Health Advocate, Santa Barbara School District
Head Nurse, Yale New Haven Hospital.

Political Experience:
Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1998-present
Elected, Special Election, United States House of Representatives, 1998.

Organizations:
Member, American Association of University Women
Board Member, American Heart Association
Board Member, American Red Cross
Member, California Democratic Party
Board Member, Family Service Agency
Member, Grace Lutheran Church
Member, Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce
Board Member, Santa Barbara Women's Political Committee.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Member, Addiction, Treatment, & Recovery Caucus
Member, Bi-Partisan Pro-Choice Caucus
Member, Coalition on Autism Research & Education
Member, Congressional Aerospace Caucus
Member, Congressional Art Caucus
Member, Congressional Bike Caucus
Co-Chair, Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus
Member, Congressional Brain Injury Task Force
Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues
Member, Congressional Climate Change Caucus
Co-Chair, Congressional Coastal Caucus
Member, Congressional Community College Caucus
Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus
Member, Congressional Global Health Caucus
Member, Congressional Goods Movement Caucus
Co-Chair, Congressional Hearing Health Caucus
Member, Congressional Heart & Stroke Coalition
Member, Congressional Human Rights Caucus
Member, Congressional Intelligent Transportation Systems Caucus
Member, Congressional National Parks Caucus
Member, Congressional Native American Caucus
Founder/Co-Chair, Congressional Nursing Caucus
Member, Congressional Oceans Caucus
Member, Congressional Organic Caucus
Member, Congressional Passenger Rail Caucus
Member, Congressional Port Security Caucus
Member, Congressional Recycling Caucus
Member, Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Founder, Congressional School Health and Safety Caucus
Member, Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus
Member, Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease
Member, Congressional Task Force on International HIV/AIDS
Member, Congressional Tourism and Travel Caucus
Member, Congressional Vision Caucus
Member, Congressional Wine Caucus
Member, Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease
Member, Congressional Zoo and Aquarium Caucus
Member, Democratic Homeland Security Task Force
Co-Chair, House Cancer Caucus
Member, National Guard and Reserve Components Organization
Co-Chair, National Marine Sanctuary Caucus
Member, New Democratic Coalition
Member, Out of Iraq Caucus
Member, Prescription Drug Task Force.

Committees:
Energy and Commerce, Member
Natural Resources, Member
Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment (Energy and Commerce), Member
Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, Member
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans , Member
Subcommittee on Health (Energy and Commerce), Vice Chair
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, Member
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Member