Recognizing Mrs. Kelly Santoro

Floor Speech

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Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Warden Kelly Santoro for her 30 years of service to the Central Valley community and congratulate her on her well-earned retirement.

Just like many in her family before her, Mrs. Santoro knew she wanted to dedicate her career to serving the state of California. She began her career in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 1993 as a correctional officer at Centinela State Prison. Throughout her decorated career, she held crucial positions in the California Prison system ranging from Correctional Counselor to Associate Warden.

In 2012, Mrs. Santoro was named the Chief Deputy Warden of the Wasco State Prison Reception Center. In this role, she displayed incredible professionalism and competence as she oversaw over 5,000 inmates and nearly 1,500 members of staff. Her work in running the day-to-day in this role impressed her colleagues and would lead her to be named the acting Warden of the North Kern State Prison in 2015. In August of 2016, she would officially be named Warden of North Kern State Prison-- a role she held until her retirement this year.

Not only has Mrs. Santoro served her community through the State's Correctional Department, but she has also been a leader in the Central Valley through her philanthropic work. She and the North Kern State Prison raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities such as the Ronald McDonald House, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Women's Shelter, and many others. For 30 years, Mrs. Santoro has been an incredible example of the dedication, professionalism, and selflessness that encompass the values of the Central Valley community.

I ask all of my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Mrs. Kelly Marie Santoro for her 30 years of service to our community and congratulate her on a well-earned retirement.

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