“I’ve been with the city now 17 years, but it sure doesn’t seem like it,” says Gail Ortiz, communications manager and public information officer for the City of Santa Clarita. That’s because the Acton mother of twin boys is blessed with the wide variety of tasks that she juggles every day in her job and at home.
“One minute I’m dealing with transportation and the next I’m handling the press regarding the Cemex mining project issue. It’s never a dull moment,” says Ortiz.
The city employee handles all publicity and advertising and is on call 24-7. While you can find her in the office working during the week at City Hall, she puts in lots of hours at her home office in the evenings and on the week-ends, as well, often as many as 60 each week.
“Our team works to protect the community and quality of life in Santa Clarita. There’s always a project to work on like for instance defeating the 190 million dollar dump proposition in Elsmire Canyon. We worked hard legislatively,” says Ortiz who loves being part of a team that has an extraordinary commitment to their work.
Defending the excellent quality of life in Santa Clarita, says Ortiz, is constant and the challenges come from outside forces such as crime, environmental challenges and developmental growth.
That’s why she says they have a slogan that they only hire the best and the brightest in order to meet those challenges head on effectively.
“Our employees go the extra mile,” says Ortiz.
And so does Ortiz as she balances her family life and community service, believing in the importance of giving back. She does it in a big way serving on the boards of the Child and Family Center, The Domestic Violence Center and volunteering to help the Foundation for Children’s Dental Health and the Food Pantry.
“I want my children to understand about the concept of giving back. I walk the walk so they will know what you do for others when God has blessed you,” says Ortiz.
Ortiz has taken her ten-year-old boys with her to various community service outings, including dinners for the homeless shelter.
“They are curious about the disparity of things and wonder about the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’,” says Ortiz, “My goal is to show them how to treat everybody the same and with respect.”
It’s apparent that the lesson was taught early on to Ortiz herself and she is propagating it with passion. It even overflows to the love for her family’s chickens, birds, dog, goldfish and a pet rat, Rapena. Dr. Doolittle would be proud, no doubt of her love and communication with all animals, big and small, two and four-legged.