The Emerge Advantage

I first learned about Emerge from Sonoma City Councilwoman Laurie Gallian, who's a 2008 Emerge California graduate.

Over the last ten years or so, I've been asked several times to run for local office. I didn't, because either I wasn't interested in the particular office, or I didn't think the timing was right for me. I finally ran for a position in June 2006, when I was elected to the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee. I had been asked to run for that too.

I have volunteered for many political campaigns and causes over the years. I was familiar enough with campaigning to know that there is so much to know and that there was a lot I still didn't know. So I took Laurie's recommendation to apply for the Emerge program. It has helped fill-in the gaps in my knowledge. I found particularly helpful the lesson on how to tie a personal story to why you are running for office.

I have also enjoyed meeting my classmates, who come from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. If not for Emerge, I wouldn't have met these amazing women. I see future leaders of our state, and look forward to watching their political careers rise.

Gina Cuclis
Emerge California Class 2010
Sonoma