Wolk Names Debby McGuire Her “Woman of the Year”

Vacaville woman is honored for her outstanding leadership in the community

"Debby is truly an outstanding community leader for my district," Assemblywoman Wolk said as she announced McGuire would be her Woman of the Year. "Of all the exceptional women in Yolo and Solano Counties, her long history of hard work and advocacy on behalf of children and those in need makes her truly deserving of this award."

McGuire currently serves as Program Coordinator for the city's Youth Takin' On Tobacco program, where she helps local youth teach their peers about the dangers of smoking. She is also active in many civic organizations, including the Vacaville Public Education Foundation, the city's Youth Roundtable, and the Tobacco Education Coalition.

A Vacaville resident for thirty years, McGuire was a founding member of the Solano Children's Alliance, a group that encourages local and state leaders to make children and family issues a priority. Since its creation in 1982, the Alliance is the longest running interagency council of its kind in California. In 1990, McGuire and her husband Paul co-founded Vacaville's Opportunity House, a homeless shelter that has provided hundreds of residents with shelter and employment opportunities.

"Debby has a rare combination of compassion and leadership that makes her an extraordinary role model for young people," Wolk said. "For the last three decades she has given selflessly to her family, her community, and her entire city. And she has done so in a way that gets other people excited about volunteering their time. For all these reasons and more, I feel Debby has truly made a real difference in our community."

The ceremony for "Woman of the Year" on the Assembly Floor will be the centerpiece of a day-long celebration that includes a morning reception hosted by Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante and an afternoon at the California State History Museum with First Lady Maria Shriver, where she will unveil a display featuring all the Assembly and Senate Women of the Year. The display will remain up in the museum through the end of March.

Past Women of the Year for the 8th Assembly District include Yolo County Librarian Mary Stephens and Susan Tom of Fairfield, who is the mother of eleven adopted children with disabilities.