[music]
I often say that I'm very ambitious, but I don't
have any ambition.
The opportunities that I've had always sort of
surprised me.
I have never been able to
imagine any of my futures.
And I've had many of them.
[music]
I grew up in a very blue-collar,
working-class family. My father only
went to eighth grade. No one in my family
went to college. So getting to Fresno State
was a huge accomplishment. I was
dating my now husband of 43 years.
We both went to Hanford High School. He was
at Fresno State, so I went to Fresno State.
But it was a
huge opportunity for me to be there and
to experience fabulous professors,
wonderful peers. I treasure the
experience I had.
[music]
Well, we got married ten days after I graduated.
I always say
Dan was a feminist way before I was.
He never could imagine that I wouldn't be
his equal. So as I had concerns or
insecurities, he was always there to say,
"What you mean you don't think you can do it?
Of course you can do it." By the time
he got out of law school, I was on the
staff of the Governor of the state of
California. I was only 24 years old.
The seventies were an extraordinary time.
And the Governor was very young. And he brought
in an amazing collection of big thinkers.
I just wanted to listen and absorb and
be around people from so many different
perspectives than I had been exposed to
in my Valley experience.
[music]
We have two grown daughters. One was born
practically in the capital. The
legislature's in recess in November, so
she was born on November 13th and I was
back when they were back in January with
the little crib in my office and nursing
her during the breaks. It was just
natural for me to be a mom and to do my
job at the same time. And so my family is
the very most important thing.
[music]
In 2006, the CEOs of the other children's
hospitals
in California recruited me to be the head
of the
California Children's Hospital Association.
And so we moved to
Sacramento in the summer of 2006. Little did any
of us even imagine at that point that
Jerry Brown would be governor again.
After he was elected in November 2010,
I  accepted his invitation to serve, and I'm
very glad I did.
[music]
I'm very humbled every day by the people with
whom I work.
Health and human services attracts people
who care
very much about the most vulnerable people
in California.
It's my responsibility to create the environments
for everyone to succeed.
We try to make government work well for the people
of California.
[music]
