Personal Info

I hold Red Cross certifications to train Lifeguard Instructors, Water Safety Instructors, CPR/AED Instructors, and First Aid Instructors.

I have been a lifeguard, lifeguard captain or in charge of the swim of 49 triathlons or open water swims, including the Danskin Women's Triathlon (6 years), National Triathlon for the Physically Limited (4 years), Bud Light (4 years), All For Kids Day (2 years), San Jose International (2 years) and the 25th Anniversary Far West Games (1992). My husband and I were lifeguard/swimmer escorts for a "Pier to Pier" 6 1/2 mile swim from Capitola to Cowell's beach in Santa Cruz in 1998. In 2000 through 2013 De Anza College-trained lifeguards volunteered at the Escape from Alcatraz 'Sharkfest' swim (and/or the the Alcatri triathlon) from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park in San Francisco, and/or the Golden Gate Bridge Sharkfest swim from the south tower of the bridge to Sausalito. In 2009 we guarded the summer National Senior Games Triathlon. 2004 through 2013 we guarded the Silicon Valley Kids Triathlon.

I swam competitively in high school and was Sports Editor (as well as Editor-in-Chief and News Editor) of the De Anza newspaper as a student here.

Below: my editor photo at the La Voz (De Anza student newspaper) office at age 19.

I was Girl Scout Counselor-in-Training in the Santa Cruz Mountains for two summers, worked at San Jose Family Camp for one summer and as a Girl Scout Camp Counselor in Idaho for two summers. At the camp in Idaho I was half of a team that were champions in blindfolded rowboat racing.

below a typical home for the summer, this one from Idaho

I've been on the faculty at De Anza since April, 1988, first in Physical Education, then in Biological and Health Sciences as well.

I've also taught at various Adult and Community Education centers, City Recreation Departments and have taught other groups as diverse as the staff of the Sunnyvale Senior Center; the staff of James Ranch/Harold Holden Boy's Ranch (for the County of Santa Clara Probation Department); the Girl Scouts; Saratoga-Los Gatos, Milpitas and Fremont Union High School District staffs; Federal Court staff; De Anza's Security staff; various corporate wellness centers and trainees for the California Conservation Corps. I've taught various subjects as a volunteer at the Silicon Valley Red Cross Chapter, the college, Harker Academy, and the San Tomas Neighborhood Association.

After completing Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training in 2002 I worked as a volunteer at Campbell/Cupertino/Saratoga/Los Gatos/Monte Sereno (CERT) training exercises.

In 2003 I became a volunteer trainer (instructor) for Campbell CERT, primarily in Disaster Medicine.

In 2004 I became a Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor Trainer (the person who trains lifeguard instructors) and Water Safety Instructor Trainer (the person who trains swimming teachers). I served on the Silicon Valley Red Cross chapter Instructor Trainer Committee.

I was given a "2004 Volunteer of the Year" award for CERT work in Campbell from the Santa Clara County Emergency Managers' Association.

In 2005 I earned my FCC element 2 technician class radio license.

2006:

As Senior Faculty Advisor to the De Anza Outdoor Club since 1990, I've led a multitude of camping, snow camping, backpacking, canoeing and kayaking trips. A dozen links to club info start at Outdoor Club Basic Info.

Below, April 1969, a Sierra Club and Sempervirens Fund project, at Big Basin State Park, building the Skyline to the Sea trail (nearly 50 De Anza students participated, including members of the "Los Montaneros camping and climbing club," the precursor of the Outdoor Club). Left to right, students Mary Donahue, Jo Ann Siebert and Sue Blair. Photo by Judy Shapero. Yes, we cleared and got poison oak.

I am the webmaster for this website.

In late October 2006 this website received its one millionth hit. April, 2008 it received its two millionth hit. In late 2009, the three millionth. In late 2010 it had four million hits, in late 2011 five million.

In my spare time I work on the Ultimate fixer-upper.

GRATUITOUS ADVICE:

There is no bad weather, just bad clothes. Snow or rain camp must-haves

Don't waste money on cheap tools.

Moose swim faster than you can paddle.

Never turn your back on the ocean and you won't get caught by rogue or sneaker waves.

Always use waterproof sunscreen. (SPF 5 and 15 are jokes.)

Never swim alone. Don't fight any current.

Two-thirds of drowning victims are good swimmers. Why you should wear a lifejacket.

Quit being paranoid about sharks

Swim, bike, boat, ski, skate and drive sober.

Always bring your really good (no ponchos) rain gear.

Keep your first aid and CPR skills current.

Chocolate is a food group.

Start your day with a liter of water.

Never hold your breath when you lift.

Play with your food.

Learn how to say no effectively.

You are smarter than the bears, but they jog faster than you can run.

It's never time to give up.

You're never too old to learn.

Don't use a chainsaw indoors. Don't try to weld a gas tank, even if you are sure it is empty.

Don't be one of the people who puts their fingers in the boiling pools in Yellowstone to see if the water really is that hot. Road trip advice and etiquette

If your budget comes up short and you think you have to drop out of school, drop back in. Take at least one class every session, so you stay in the program.

From the 2002 U.S. Census Bureau Report we learn that over a period of 40 years, people holding bachelor's degrees earn 2.1 million dollars. People with a master's will earn 2.5 million dollars and with a doctorate 3.4 million.

Spelling counts. If you can't write well with proper spelling and grammar it will hold you back in anything you try to do.

Give Blood. Only about 5% of eligible donors give blood. It's estimated we need an average of 34,000 units of blood per day in the U.S. It only takes about an hour, and the Red Cross on North First Street, which is certainly on some kind of a work or shopping commute you take, has a huge supply of OJ, lemonade, chocolate chip cookies (and new & old magazines if you forget to bring some homework or want to catch up on your trashy reading). If you've never done it, it doesn't have to be intimidating or scary! For info on what happens, go to: Blood donation FAQs

Put off getting your first tattoo until you have given blood a few times. You probably won't want to stop giving blood and will opt for the temporary tattoos instead.

(Allow me to update Mahatma Gandhi, who said:

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”)

--- Study, manage your money and exercise as if you will live forever.

Play as if you will die tomorrow.

"The idea is to die young as late as possible." Ashley Montagu

Websites to check out:

NOLO Press has an online legal encyclopedia that has "Plain-English articles on the legal topics that affect you most."

http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/ency/index.cfm

The NASA photo at: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ESC&ID=ISS013-E-30114

Has an astronaut's view of De Anza. The north/south axis is reversed from what you are used to seeing on a map, south is at the top of the page. Steven's Creek reservoir is the dark blue shape on the right. The main roadways showing are 280 left to right across the page and 85 towards the right side top to bottom. If you look a little closer you can spot Steven's Creek Blvd and find De Anza at Steven's Creek and 85.

The whole index to a quarter million space photos is at:

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/

To see a live, or nearly live shot of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, go to

http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/webcams

At this site you can become a member of the Yosemite Conservancy and get a discount on books, postcards, etc. at Yosemite visitor centers.

The Biological and Health Sciences Division student handbook has lots of useful information. It's at: http://bhs.deanza.edu/StudentHandbook.pdf

A great stargazing site, with lots of pictures and an almanac is at http://www.stardate.org/

For a different search engine than your usual try one for librarians at http://www.ipl.org

Lifeguarding and Red Cross links of interest to professionals are at the page Lifeguard training, swimming, CPR and first aid links

I post student evaluations of my classes at:

Give me proof you're such a great teacher

Yes, you can quit smoking. Keep trying even if it takes a few tries, it will be worth it.

Photo below courtesy of the California Department of Public Health.