I grew up in Philadelphia, but I moved to the West Coast in 1989 and have been here ever since.  I started out in Portland, Oregon, later migrating to Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area. I lived in the North Bay for about 10 years, where I was a reporter for the Marin Independent Journal.

I left Marin in 2006 and spent time at newspapers in Oregon and Washington state before returning to the North Bay, this time in Sonoma County at Healdsburg Patch.

I am passionate about sharing my journalism skills and experience to enhance the lives of people in Healdsburg. I am excited about the talented team of writers, photographers and columnists who are contributing to Healdsburg Patch.

We intend to offer Healdsburg the clearest, most up-to-date news, commentary and events coverage possible, and to do it fairly, responsibly and accurately. We adhere to ethical principles and believe in representing people with respect and in giving a voice for community concerns.

E-mail: keri.brenner@patch.com
Phone: 707-291-3134
Hometown: Philadelphia
Birthday: March 5
Personal: Single; active runner, aerobics, weights, hiking; experienced social dancer in Latin, swing and Zydeco dancing. I also have a strong background in holistic health and am a licensed acupuncturist.

Your Beliefs
I believe that we all have the power to create our own lives through our feelings and thoughts. By channeling our creative energies through holding the highest and most positive feelings and thoughts, we can realize our own true power and be who we truly are.
Politics
Liberal, progressive, registered Democrat
Religion
Raised in Jewish tradition, non-observant but culturally aligned with Judaism; Consider myself spiritually aware; I give high priority to keeping myself aligned with spiritual energy and positive thoughts and feelings.
Local Hot-Button Issues
What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?

Whether to replace the Healdsburg downtown post office after the fire; How to accommodate tourism growth while still retaining small-town atmosphere; How to accommodate Spanish learners and English learners in the public schools.

Where do you stand on each of these issues?

I support some type of downtown post office presence, for convenience and for maintaining community character; I support enhancement of the tourism economy in a careful way so as not to damage the small-town feel; I support bilingual education that is effective and fair for both English learners and English speakers, however best that can be accomplished.