MEET EDDA

Through this work I have been fortunate to collaborate with many outstanding local leaders who have since endorsed my re-election to the OUSD Board.

When re-elected, I will continue drawing on my professional and academic backgrounds to serve our school community meaningfully. My 25-plus years in policy and communications will persist to build consensus and partnerships, and bring significant value in strategy implementation, stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and communications skills to our school board.

I currently serve as Vice President of Communications at Common Sense Media, where I sit on the executive leadership team and lead the organization's global communications strategy on ethical AI, tech policy, and children's safety - work that's as personal as it is professional. 

This year, I was honored to receive the 2026 California Woman of the Year Award for the 16th Assembly District by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who recognized my work helping turn children's online safety advocacy into real, enforceable California law. 

My career spans senior roles across government, health care, and public affairs—including work for former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board. I also served for a decade as a bipartisan gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, appointed by Governors Mark Warner (D), Tim Kaine (D) and Bob McDonnell (R), respectively, leading the state’s efforts to reduce youth tobacco use and decrease rates of childhood obesity.

I’ve been a student, teacher, and community leader—which gives me a unique ability to appreciate the contributions of the many individuals and groups in our school community. I hold a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Hampton University and a

Master’s in Communications from Georgetown University. I’ve served as a professor in the School of Public Communication at American University, and my love of politics was the catalyst to co-founding the All In Together Campaign (AIT), a non-partisan women’s organization dedicated to closing the gaps in politics and advancing women’s civic leadership.

On the personal side, I enjoy playing classical piano for my family (a hobby I’ve maintained since the age of six!), reading, and fly fishing. My family and I enjoy swimming, the beach, traveling, and hiking in our beautiful Orinda hills. I have a vested interest in the success of Orinda’s children—and in our community as a whole. Great schools benefit all who live here.

I’d love to hear from you! Please connect with me via social media or hello@electedda.com. 

It is better work when we work together!