Irvington Teacher Runs for Pleasanton Mayor

By Cindy Meng

On November 6, 2012, Pleasanton voters will find the name of Irvington’s teacher, Cheryl Cook-Kallio, on their ballots. Mrs. Cook-Kallio’s decision to run for mayor was triggered after six years on Pleasanton’s City Council and a lifetime of dedicated community services.

At age seventeen, Mrs. Cook-Kallio had been actively involved in presidential campaigns and, a year later, participated in the Voter Registration Drive. Mrs. Cook-Kallio’s early passion for politics propelled her to earn a master’s degree on the United States Constitution and serve as a James Madison Congressional Fellow under Senator Diane Feinstein.

After 35 years of teaching, Mrs. Cook-Kallio’s profound knowledge in the subjects of government and US History along with glorifying achievements as Irvington’s We the People coach will aid her in the 2012 Pleasanton mayor’s election as she applies the fundamentals of these subjects into her duties. “With effective communication skills, I was able to reach out to students,” said Mrs. Cook-Kallio. “Now I will use this quality to engage with those who don’t have a voice in the government and essentially represent Pleasanton residents as a whole.”