By Andrea Hernandez. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Via live stream, Giselle Hale was officially named, by unanimous vote, mayor of Redwood City, to serve in the position for the next two years and take over for Diane Howard, who has held the position since 2018. In turn, Hale will be replaced as vice mayor by Diana Reddy.
During the event, Hale thanked her family, friends and Diane Howard who have supported her in her journey to become mayor.
He also spoke about the priorities he will have during his regency such as the Redwood City housing program, which he considers essential since he pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the housing problem.
She also said she is especially interested in encouraging access to mental health programs, which she believes there is a "stigma" in the United States, but is highly necessary to address because of the ravages of the pandemic that she has personally experienced.
"During the first year of COVID my oldest daughter was diagnosed with multiple learning differences. Even in normal times this would be a challenge for any parent. Getting her testing, getting on the right waiting lists, and reading to understand her options was overwhelming. In terms of her meds, it triggered episodes in terms of family mental health. Not being able to help my daughter when she needed it was one of the biggest challenges I've ever had, and it led to a personal struggle with depression and anxiety. When I realized I needed support, it wasn't easy to find. But with the help of a persistent husband and my friends, I was able to find it. She and I are doing well now, but the experience made us realize how quickly things can change. It's what gave me the motivation to help heal our community.
She mentioned that in San Mateo County there is an initiative to raise awareness and increase access to mental health services.
Ultimately, as mayor, Hale hopes to create a community where people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds can thrive, grow and retire.
Who is Giselle Hale, the new mayor of Redwood City?
Giselle Hale has humble roots, began working at the age of 14 to support her family's solvency, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin from which she graduated with honors and later earned a Master of Business Administration from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
In 2014, Hale began serving as a Redwood City planning commissioner, and since before her daughters were of school age she supported education by joining the board of directors of the Redwood City Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide quality public education for all students in the Redwood City School District, in 2017.
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