Candidate Profile: Marilinda Garcia

(Editor's note: Salem Patch is contacting candidates for the state House and Senate for Salem with a questionnaire, and their responses will be published as candidate profiles between now and the Nov. 6 election. Disclaimer: Salem Patch will be publishing these responses as they are returned to us.)

NAME: Marilinda Garcia

DATE OF BIRTH: Jan. 1, 1986

YOUR BACKGROUND/EDUCATION: Undergraduate joint-degrees 2006: Tufts University, cum laude; New England Conservatory of Music, with Academic Honors and Distinction in Performance Graduate degree 2010; Harvard University, Public Service Fellowship.

EXPERIENCE/OCCUPATION: Ms. Garcia worked for three years as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused/neglected children at the District Court in Salem, N.H. She has also served as a mentor, panelist and faculty-in-residence for young undergraduate women at St. Anselm’s College through the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and the Women’s Leadership Institute and has worked with the Vesta Roy Excellence in Leadership Series which trains Republican women for political leadership. Ms. Garcia has been a guest speaker at an RNC event for young Republicans, the first annual GOPAC Hispanic Leadership Training Institute, and the Taubman Center for State and Local Government at Harvard University among many others.

Has been adjunct faculty Harp Professor at Phillips Exeter Academy and St. Paul’s School in NH, and at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. Has traveled extensively as a Cultural Ambassador for the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA). Hosted by embassies and government institutions, YOA conducted community outreach programs and concertized in approximately 15 modern and developing countries across the Americas and Europe during Ms. Garcia’s tenure with the orchestra.

Works in business development and strategic account management for a cyber-security firm, has worked in higher education consulting, most recently for a university in Torino, Italy, and developed a proposal partnering educational institutions, UN agencies and other private and non-profit organizations on the creation of a bi-national Haitian/Dominican youth orchestra foundation.

Ms. Garcia serves on the National Advisory Board of “Young Americans for Mitt Romney,” as NE Regional Director for the National Foundation of Women Legislators and on the Advisory Board of GOPAC Legislative Leaders, the Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs, the Board of Directors for the Chairman’s Leadership Forum, and on the Artistic Advisory Board for the Young Rescuers USA program, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders.

PRIOR ELECTED OFFICE: State Representative for Salem/Windham, 3-terms since 2006. Serves on Finance Committee. Has served on Children and Family, Election Law, Legislative Administration.

PERSONAL: Has lived in Salem since the age of 8.Was elected to the NH Union Leader’s special edition “40 under Forty” honors program for the state of New Hampshire, received the National Foundation for Women Legislator’s “Integrative Healthcare Pioneer Award” and the Hildegard Behrens Foundation “Young Artist Humanitarian Award.” 

PRIORITIES: 

Sustainable, long-term economic development

Tax relief measures that support the middle-class and small-businesses

Strict scrutiny of state spending

Supporting and protecting family values and parental rights

Educational choice/student-centered options and local control of schools

Common sense environmental conservation

No Income Tax, No Sales Tax

[Please see my website for comprehensive, detailed information about my priorities and platform:www.elect-mari.com]

Why are you running? 

I want to ensure that our State responsibly, honestly and transparently balances its budget for the upcoming fiscal year term.

I would like to continue in my work of reforming NH's current antiquated regulatory environment of hospital construction and equipment purchasing and enable the development of NH’s specialty health care sector.

The Certificate-of-Need law reform bill was passed and the CON is slated to be repealed in 2015 - I'd like to work to speed the process up.

What is your stance on expanded gambling in New Hampshire?

I generally support the position stated in the Republican platform of "opposing state institutionalization of casino and video-lottery gambling as a reliable revenue stream" but always carefully consider each bill that comes forward on the topic (as each version of such legislation is very different), especially as it relates to my town.

How would you help stoke economic development in the state of New Hampshire?

I'd like to continue with initiatives such as those I've sponsored in prior terms:

The “New Hampshire Innovation Job Growth Program” bill, signed into law in July of 2011, which enables the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority to facilitate the acquisition of early stage seed capital for NH entrepreneurs.

The “Destination Specialty Treatment Center” bill that would reform the current antiquated regulatory environment of hospital construction and equipment purchasing and enable the development of NH’s specialty health care sector. If successful, this development would begin with a state-of-the-art oncology center that is interested in coming to NH and is estimated to have a $500 million dollar positive economic impact in the first five years of its locating in the state.

Thanks for having allowed me to serve you these past years! Please check out my website [www.elect-mari.com] and feel free to contact me at any time with any questions. I love to hear from you!