▁political ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁as ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁City ▁Council . ▁As ▁a ▁council ▁member ▁she ▁represented ▁the ▁city ▁on ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁bo ards ▁including ▁as ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁Al amed a ▁County ▁Library ▁Commission , ▁which ▁she ▁cha ired ▁for ▁ 5 ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 ▁years ▁she ▁served ▁on ▁it . ▁She ▁also ▁represented ▁the ▁city ▁on ▁the ▁Sol id ▁W aste ▁Management ▁Author ity , ▁where ▁she ▁successfully ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁a ▁Rec y cling ▁Sub comm ittee . ▁She ▁cha ired ▁the ▁SW MA ▁and ▁she ▁represented ▁Union ▁City ▁on ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁Bay ▁Area ▁Govern ments . ▁ ▁East in ' s ▁leadership ▁gar ner ed ▁the ▁" R ook ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year " ▁acknowled g ement ▁from ▁the ▁California ▁Journal , ▁a ▁non - part isan ▁analyt ical ▁journal ▁that ▁reported ▁on ▁the ▁State ▁Legisl ature . ▁ ▁East in ▁served ▁four ▁terms ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁Assembly , ▁representing ▁parts ▁of ▁Al amed a ▁and ▁Santa ▁Clara ▁count ies . ▁She ▁wrote ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁enh ance ▁school ▁safety ▁and ▁increase ▁parent ▁invol vement . ▁ ▁She ▁received ▁the ▁pr estig ious ▁Cry stal ▁Apple ▁Award ▁from ▁the ▁American ▁Library ▁Association . ▁She ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁In sp ir ational ▁Le ader ▁Award ▁from ▁Kid ango . ▁She ▁received ▁al umn i ▁awards ▁from ▁both ▁U C ▁Davis ▁and ▁U C ▁Santa ▁Barbara . ▁ ▁State ▁Super int endent ▁of ▁Public ▁Inst ruction ▁▁ ▁Upon ▁taking ▁office ,