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Published on: 7/23/2004
Last Visited: 7/23/2004
Living life in the fast lane is a philosophy that defines Danielle Blacet, a 28-year-old government affairs analyst for Western Growers Association.
Stationed in WGA's Sacramento, CA, office, Ms. Blacet finds time to pursue a challenging, demanding and time-consuming career while raising a four-year-old son as a single mother.Along the way, she became a certified auto mechanic for the fun of it and is currently contemplating pursuing a master's degree.
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Though UC-Davis is known as an agricultural college, Ms. Blacet never considered a career in agriculture.
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Upon graduation from college, Ms. Blacet joined a Sacramento public-relations firm that had many national and international clients.Her career was blossoming in that industry when the terrorist attacks of 9/11 led to a shift in direction.Ms. Blacet explained that with firms focusing on security and legislators also directing their attention in that area, many companies slashed their public relations' budgets.As such, her employer laid off much of the staff, including Ms. Blacet.
That led to the position with WGA.She was hired in December 2001 to help track legislation, specifically working in the nutrition area.One of her first assignments was to work with WGA Chairman of the Board A.G. Kawamura on his vision to put a garden in every school in California and Arizona.Ms. Blacet became the WGA staff person for that activity."We spent virtually all of 2002 working on that program and then launched it in January of 2003," she said.
Of course, Mr. Kawamura has moved on to become secretary of agriculture for California, but Ms. Blacet continues to run the program for WGA.
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Ms. Blacet feels completely at home with the agricultural community and feels more part of that community than the legislative community.
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In recent months, Ms. Blacet has become submerged in the water issue and has taken on the role of WGA's point person for that all-important issue.With water being the lifeblood of agriculture, Ms. Blacet calls it "the most fascinating issue in Sacramento.Other people think it is boring, but I'm fascinated by it."
Ms. Blacet devotes most of her spare time to her son, Brody, and admits it is challenging to balance the role of government affairs analyst with that of a mother."It is difficult from time to time, but I have a great support system.It is all about trying to strike that perfect balance between succeeding in my career and raising my son in the manner that I would like to.Sometimes I have to change my travel schedule to accommodate him.It is all about creating that balance."
Ms. Blacet also has a passion that consumes all of her Sundays in the fall and winter, but it is an activity she can share with her son.
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Ms. Blacet said she has never worked as a mechanic, but does do all the work on her own car.
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