About Dotty
Dotty is a proud fourth-generation Woodlander who has spent her life serving her community. From her family’s business to her years in education and public service, she has built a career rooted in hard work, dedication, and giving back.
When Dotty was growing up in Woodland, families in town and those in the rural areas were closely connected. Woodland wasn’t just the inner city—it embraced the rural areas and families too. Everyone came together in the spirit of one community, and those experiences gave Dotty a lifelong connection to Yolo County’s agricultural roots and shared traditions.
Her desire to serve as supervisor comes from her dedication to ensuring that Yolo County remains a strong, supportive, and connected place for all its residents—today and for generations to come.
Family Roots and Early Work
Dotty was born and raised in Woodland, attending Holy Rosary Elementary, Douglass Middle, and Woodland High School. Her family’s roots in the community run deep.
In the early 1900s, Dotty’s great-grandfather opened the Electric Garage Company on Third and Main in downtown Woodland. What began as a shop repairing Studebaker horse-drawn wagons grew into the ninth automobile dealership established in California, originally known for converting gas-powered headlights into electric. The Electric Garage Company served Yolo County families for a century until her father, Lonny, retired and closed its doors.
Dotty grew up working in the family business, starting as a teenager in the shop and later transitioning to the office. Her grandmother taught her how to manage the company’s books, a skill that would help her earn a minor in accounting and launch her own bookkeeping and tax service to pay her way through college. Those early experiences instilled in her a strong work ethic, a sense of responsibility, and the importance of putting customers first—lessons that would guide her throughout her career in education, small business, and public service.
A Career in Education and Small Business
Dotty knew from the time she was ten that she wanted to be a teacher. After earning her Master’s in English from CSU Sacramento, she spent 22 years teaching English and Latin, including 11 years as an adjunct English professor at Woodland Community College.
In collaboration with Professor Mark Riley, she co-edited and published a modern edition of Argenis, a 17th-century Renaissance Latin novel by John Barclay, a work that has been internationally recognized for its contribution to Neo-Latin scholarship.
Alongside her teaching career, Dotty owned two small businesses. She ran Accounting Advantages for ten years, and later, while raising her children, developed a homeschooling service where she taught literature, composition, and Latin to high school students.
Public Service Career
Dotty has served as the 3rd district supervisor’s deputy and chief of staff under three supervisors, working on a wide range of community and county programs.
In this role, she has partnered with residents, county staff, and local leaders on initiatives that span public safety, homelessness, housing, fire sustainability, public health, parks and recreation, the arts, and more. Her 20 years of hands-on experience has given her a deep understanding of county government and a strong foundation for leadership.
Public Service Career
In 2004, Dotty founded a community forum to bring residents, elected officials, and civic leaders together for open, productive dialogue. Since then, she has remained deeply involved in her community, offering leadership and support across schools, cultural programs, nonprofits, and local organizations, including:
- Chair and President, Yolo County Women’s History Month Committee (16 years)
Celebrating women’s contributions and history in Yolo County and raising funds for Woodland and Yolo County libraries - Volunteer, Fourth & Hope (including Empty Bowls fundraiser)
- Member, Woodland Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade Committee
- Member, State Theatre Management Group Project
- Member, Woodland United Way Allocations Committee
- Chair, Holy Rosary Parent Club
- Chair, Holy Rosary Gala & Auction
- Volunteer, Woodland “Running of the Turkeys” fundraiser
- Anchor, Producer, and Board Secretary, WAVE TV
- Volunteer, Woodland Community College Student Services
- Volunteer, Woodland Marine Corps League, Toys for Tots
- Volunteer, Salvation Army Christmas Fundraisers
- Member, Woodland Community Service Awards Committee
- Recipient, Woodland League of Women Voters Democracy Award
Direct Work with Yolo County
- Co-founder & Executive Director, Yolo County Backpacks for Kids
Supplied backpacks and school supplies to over 20,000 Yolo County children in need - Yolo County Point-in-Time Count, County Staff Worker
Connected directly with unhoused residents to better understand homelessness - Oroville Dam Crisis Evacuation, Food & Supply Coordinator
Organized meals and supplies for evacuees - Fourth & Hope Reorganization Efforts, Staff Liaison
Assisted with coordination and restructuring to strengthen services - Yolo County Veteran’s Services, Staff Volunteer
Supported veterans with access to resources and programs - Gibson House Festival of Trees, Chair
Raised funds for the museum’s historical collection - Gibson House Santa Saturday, Chair
Raised funds for the museum’s children’s education program - Gibson House Fall Festival, Chair
Raised funds for the Yolo County Museum's Children's Education Program - Yolo County’s Annual “Operation Turkey” Drive, Chair
Provided meals for the food bank and shelter families - Yolo County 101 Seminar Course, Developer
Introduced residents to county services and governance - Yolo County Training Academy, Course Developer & Instructor
Designed and taught training classes for county staff
Family and Home
Dotty is the proud mother of her daughter, Olivia. They live in her family’s longtime home—affectionately known in Woodland as the “Boat House”—together with their dogs, Zoe, Zach, and Frankie.