(SACRAMENTO, CA)  Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, is pleased to announce her honoring of Dyan Foster during the Legislature’s 21st annual Woman of the Year event.

“Dyan has dedicated her life to helping teenagers who would otherwise fall through the cracks,” said Evans.  “Her unique mixture of theater and peer education has helped thousands of youth dig deep and find the strength to work towards a better future.”

Foster serves as the Executive Director of Routes for Youth, a nonprofit agency organized in 1985 and known as an advocate for Sonoma County teenagers, known for offering unique programs that provide opportunities for young people to positively affect their peers.

These programs include Teen Court which balances needs of the community, the juvenile offender, and the victim in a process where youth are tried before a jury of their fellow peers.  Root System provides in depth seminars for youth and their families to promote trust, accountability, understanding, and good life choices.  Teens Teaching Through Theater (T4) has developed original theater productions about the life experiences of troubled teens since 1985. 

Last September, under the umbrella of Routes for Youth, Foster established a charter high school in Santa Rosa called Arts & Ethic Academy (AEA).  Foster describes the school as a small and innovative high school serving creatively inclined students with potential unrecognized in the traditional school system.  Its curriculum emphasizes the arts, social justice, and real-world applications of academics to student’s lives.  It also hosts performances by touring music, dance, and theater groups.  Further information available at http://www.routesforyouth.org.

“It is my pleasure to work with and for this brilliant generation of young people,” said Foster.  “They are fired up and ready for change.  I’m grateful to Assemblywoman Noreen Evans for her support and hard work on behalf of her constituents.”

Born in Germany, Foster is a graduate of Sonoma State University.  She lives in Santa Rosa with her husband Peter and three children:  Bree, Max and Jace.

Each year, each  member of the State Senate and Assembly honors the accomplishments of a woman whom they represent during the Woman of the Year event.  These women are invited to the Capitol and honored during a formal ceremony on the floors of the Senate and Assembly.  See attached photos depicting Evans and Foster on the Assembly Floor.

Sponsored by the Women’s Caucus each year, the Woman of the Year event was started in 1987 by Assemblymembers Bev Hansen (R) and Sally Tanner (D) as a way to celebrate the contributions made by remarkable women throughout California during Women’s History Month.