CITY of COlATI
APPLICATION FOR COUNCIL APPOINTMENT
Revised 01/2025
This application is considered a public record pursuant to The Califomia Public Records Act (Government Code §7920 et seq.) and may be made available to any member of the public upon request. Appointee's contact information may be published in the City of Cotati public informational roster.
Appointees to certain advisory bodies will be required to complete a Statement of Economic Interest as required by California Government Code $87200 et seg. and the City of Cotati Conflict of Interest Code Choose one; please complete a separate application for each advisory body for which you would like to be considered.
Advisory body to which appointment is sought:
EX City Council Measure S Oversight Committee
•Planning Commission Community-Police Advisory Commission
CONTACT INFORMATION
First Name: Cathleen Last Name: Tandy
Mailing
Address: E-mail:
Phone:
Alt phone: N/A
EDUCATION
High School Graduate:
Location: Tertiary Orientation Program, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Australia, 1984. I also received a GED upon arrival back in the US to begin college.
College/University Major Degree/Date
City College of San Francisco Fashion Merchandising AA/1988 San Francisco State University Creative Communications BA (Special Major)/1991 University of the Pacific K-12 Education MS Teaching Credential/1998 UC, Berkeley Principal Leadership Institute MA/2007
Other formal education: I was accepted at University College London to begin my doctorate in 2012, but had to return to care for my mother in Sonoma County. My thesis was focused on the rise of mobile technologies and social media's influence on school community building.
Application for appointment to advisory body
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
List all employment during the last five years. If retired, list last employer.
Employer (include location) Position/Title
Period
Note: I have been permanently disabled since 2005 after I broke my back at UCSF Children's Hospital, where I ran the K-12 school program. (Though I was my mother's 24/7 caregiver from 2012-17.) Prior to 2012, I ran my own educational and community building consulting practice, Circle T Communications. My previous professional background includes teaching and administrative duties at UCSF, SFUSD and OUSD. Before becoming an educator I worked in public relations and other media related capacities, both in the Bay Area and Australia. I also grew up with a mother who was a trailblazer in real estate research and development and worked at her company, Real Estate Infosources, for many years as a marketing assistant./ also trained at the Sydney Nanny School in Australia and my first job was caring for a special needs infant.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Year you became a Cotati resident: 2021
Are you a City of Cotati registered voter? XYes •NO
Are you related to any member of the City Council, any City advisory body DYes Member or City Employee? If yes, please list name and relationship:
Are you currently a vendor or contractor with the City of Cotati DYes XINO Are you currently employed by the City of Cotati? DYes IXINO Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If yes, please explain: DYes List civic activities, clubs, associations, etc.:
My primary focus has been on educational, disability and homelessness issues in the Bay Area. I served as the Vice Chair of the Finance and Evaluation Committee on the County's COC and have worked with other entities to advocate for those with lived experience. I have continued to advise on educational issues over the past two decades including with then mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom. I continue to volunteer my time for various political candidates and causes.On the personal side I have volunteered with a wide range of organizations from Canine Companions to numerous nature organizations. I have also remained committed to helping seniors age with grace and dignity and now belong to the Rohnert Park Senior Center. I am also an ardent lifelong leamer, who could not be prouder to have a SRJC student id and have enjoyed a number of different classes, especially art, mindfulness and meditation. Travel has always been my passion, but these days I explore the Bay Area with my beloved service dog, Califia.
Please attach a brief statement summarizing your reasons for interest in the appointment sought:
Statement of Purpose:
I genuinely believe in civic duty and even if I only have a negligible chance of being selected, as i not from Sonoma County and after a dozen years still feel somewhat an outsider. However, this may be my greatest strength, because I can bring a multifaceted perspective to the many issues facing local government. I have had some positive interactions with both the City of Cotati and County of Sonoma, but also faced some profound frustrations, especially with the mentality of doing the same thing over and over again whilst expecting a different result.
Through many of life's challenges, the one thing I have excelled at is learning how to pivot in the face of adversity (In Finland, it's called Sisu), even beyond acquiring a far higher degree of resilience than I had ever imagined. I've experienced nearly losing everything in the Tubbs Fire to being unlawfully evicted after legally obtaining a service dog simply because she's a rescued French Bulldog. I know the terror of being housing insecure and the desperation of homelessness. Yet, I have a far more compassionate heart for those who are the most vulnerable in our society than when I was a "success" living on Russian Hill (albeit the lower end) in San Francisco.
I have always had the ability to talk to anyone and spent years developing consensus building in children and the far more resistant adults. What I no longer accept is the default to no, when there is the realm of possibility for the yes in so much of life. Cotati is a diverse community from children to retirees, with old history and new values. I have the capacity to hear all of those voices with respect, whilst safeguarding accountability through transparency the vital role elected officials play in everyone's lives. Thank you for your consideration and best wishes for the successful applicant if not me.
Please initial the following 2 paragraphs:
I understand that this application is considered a public record pursuant to The California Public Records Act (Government Code 7920 et seg.) and may be made available to any member of the public upon request. Appointee's contact information may be published in the City of Cotati public informational roster.
I understand that appointees to certain advisory bodies will be required to complete a Statement of Economic Interest as required by California Government Code §87200 et seq. and the City of Cotati Conflict of Interest Code.
I certify that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge:
2/12/25
Signature Date
Emergency contact information (confidential; for emergency use only):
Judith Renwald Aunt
Name Relationship Phone number
Thank you for your interest. Please return completed form to the 'HSXWCity Clerk via email at NSDWWHUVRQ#FRWDWLFLWRUg or deliever to City of Cotati, Attn.: Deputy City Clerk, 201 West Sierra Avenue,
Cotati, CA 94931-4217
Y: PROCEDURES SOPS CMO Proedures SOPsICITY CLERK PROCEDURES MANUAL 18 Advisory Bodies (City Commissions and Committees) ADVISORY BODIES (Boards-Conniss ons etc.)lApplication for Appointment to Advisory Bodydoes