Virginia Strom-Martin

Virginia Strom-Martin is an Assemblymember representing the 1st District. Her roots are five generations strong and lie deep in her North Coast district. A life-long resident of Sonoma County, she was born in Santa Rosa and raised in Petaluma. She has extensive knowledge of, and an abiding respect for, the history, natural splendor and ever-changing economic challenges facing the First Assembly District.

Before her election to the State Assembly in 1996, Strom-Martin was active as both a teacher and a community leader. She taught at Wright Elementary School in Santa Rosa for 24 years, was a State Council Representative for the California Teacher's Association, and served as President of the Sonoma County Educator's Council. As local Co-chair for Proposition 98, she was a primary force behind the education community's successful bid to guarantee state funding for public schools and to reduce class size.

Strom-Martin's policy interests reflect the breadth and diversity of the First Assembly District, ranging from education reform and environmental stewardship to transportation and economic development. Her legislative agenda includes improving teacher training and staff development; developing multiple measures for the Academic Performance Index; promoting decentralized electricity generation using alternative technologies and renewable resources; legalizing industrial hemp; creating rural telecommunications grants; offering rebates for businesses using recovered waste materials; and special assistance for tribes.

Strom-Martin is Chair of the powerful Assembly Education Committee, and serves on three additional Assembly committees, including Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials; Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security; and Transportation. She chairs the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture and co-chairs the Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education-Kindergarten through University. In addition to serving on the state's Wildlife Conservation Board, she also serves on the Pacific Fisheries Legislative Task Force, and the Western Legislative Forestry Task Force. Strom-Martin also sits on a number of select committees relating to California Wine; Coastal Protection; Low Performing Schools; Rural Economic Development, Earthquake Safety and Preparedness; California's Children's School Readiness and Health; North Bay Housing and Transportation; Protection of Inland Waterways; Workforce Investment; and the California Highway Patrol.

Last year, Strom-Martin served as Chair of the Senate and Assembly's 34-Member Women's Legislative Caucus where she led the focus on child care, women's health and incarcerated women's issues.

Her hard work and dedication to core issues-education, environmental protection and economic development-earned her high praise in her first and second terms. She was named the Assemblymember of the Year by the California School Board Association; Legislator of the Year by the California Middle School Association; Legislator of the Year by the Industrial Technology Education Profession; Legislator of the Year by the California Parks & Recreation Society; she was given the Land Conservation Achievement Award by the prestigious Trust for Public Lands; and was recognized for her outstanding contributions and service to California's children by the California Society of Pediatric Dentists.

Strom-Martin's legislative efforts to save counties millions of dollars resulted in her being named Legislator of the Year by the California County Auditors' Association. Her legislation requiring the State to comply with recycling mandates similar to those imposed on local governments resulted in her receiving the Legislator of the Year Award from Californian's Against Waste. As Chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, Strom-Martin has taken the lead to secure funding for fisheries and habitat restoration. She was named 2000 Fisheries Legislator of the Year by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resources "for her hard work and dedication to the preservation of fishing communities."

Strom-Martin earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1970, a Lifetime Teaching Credential in 1971 and a Master of Arts from Sonoma State University in 1976. For the past twenty-five years she has lived on the Russian River in the town of Duncans Mills with her husband, Don, and her daughters, Hannah and Caitlin. Strom-Martin is an accomplished photographer and artist; and in rare moments of free time, she enjoys gardening, reading, hiking, and attending live theater performances.