[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 137 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING DR. DEBRA STAKES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JULIA BROWNLEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 12, 2014

  Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition 
of Dr. Debra Stakes, President of the Cuesta College Federation of 
Teachers, AFT 4909. Throughout her career, Dr. Stakes has been a 
committed individual to the advancement of high-quality education and 
scientific research. She has been a champion in moving forward these 
principles all while being a staunch advocate for faculty concerns and 
promoting community engagement, organizing, and political activism.
   Dr. Stakes prestigious career in the sciences is a product of her 
academic tenacity and achievements. She is a graduate of Rice 
University and received her doctorate in Oceanography from Oregon State 
University. Dr. Stakes' prominent postgraduate work included research 
appointments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the 
California Institute of Technology, as well as a year at the National 
Science Foundation. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Stakes was the 
first woman to participate in a range of groundbreaking discoveries 
such as the seafloor hot vents.
   Later, Dr. Stakes taught at the University of South Carolina for 
almost eight years, where she was the only woman on a faculty of 
twenty-five in the Department of Geology. During her time at the 
University of South Carolina, Dr. Stakes promoted the management of 
large educational programs to support students to excel and succeed in 
the fields of mathematics and science.
   Dr. Stakes continued her work and research in scientific and oceanic 
developments during the decade she worked as the only female scientist 
at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
   In 2006, Dr. Stakes began teaching at Cuesta College in the fields 
of Geology and Oceanography, where she became involved in the faculty 
union as a Division Representative and later as the Committee on 
Political Education (COPE) Chair. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Stakes became 
the Vice President and took on the role of the organization's Chief 
Negotiator.
   Dr. Stakes' passion for the sciences is evident throughout the 
trajectory of her career. She has been a trailblazer for women in her 
field and has continuously shown outstanding dedication towards the 
value of people's work and has stood against the injustice to deny 
anyone acknowledgement of their contributions.
   As the current Chief Negotiator for Cuesta College's faculty union, 
Dr. Stakes continues to strive for the progress and enhancement of our 
education system, as well as the lives of educators. Dr. Stakes has 
encouraged and cultivated a strong bond of partnership between Cuesta 
College and the Tri-Counties Central Labor Council, which has 
benefitted many people throughout San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and 
Ventura Counties.
   For these reasons, I am pleased to join the Tri-Counties Central 
Labor Council in honoring Dr. Debra Stakes for her unwavering 
dedication and tireless efforts to expand the role of women in the 
workforce, the education sector and our community.

                          ____________________