Sharon Quirk-Silva was elected to the state Assembly in November 2016 to represent the 65th Assembly District which includes the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Palma, and Stanton.
Prior to her election to the Assembly, Quirk-Silva served as a two-term mayor of the City of Fullerton, first selected by her peers on the Fullerton City Council in 2007. She was elected to her first term on the Fullerton City Council in November 2004.
A passion for education and public service have guided Quirk-Silva throughout her career. She was educated in that city's public schools from K-12 and went on to earn an A.A. degree from Fullerton College, a B.A. in sociology at UCLA, and a Teaching Credential from Cal State Fullerton. As one of ten children, she honed negotiating skills and learned the plusses of teamwork early on.
As a teacher for 31 years, Sharon Quirk-Silva has been a pillar not only in the Fullerton community, but in the lives of her students and their families, paving the way for the next generation of California's leaders.
An advocate of reaching out to citizens, Quirk-Silva created the popular “Walk and Talk” program in Fullerton in which she leads citizens on walks through specific areas of the community and discusses issues of concern to citizens. She also instituted her annual “Women in Leadership” program in which women leaders business and education in Fullerton are honored.
Regionally, she has been active in organizations serving all of District 65 and Orange County, becoming familiar with the district's cities and developing relationships with their leaders. She has provided leadership as a former vice chairwoman of the Orange County Council of Governments, focused on transportation as a representative to the Southern California Association of governments, and served on the board of the Orange County Sanitation District.
Quirk-Silva has received numerous awards for her public service and for teaching, including:
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The “Golden Apple” award from the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund.
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As a part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary of California State University, Fullerton, Quirk-Silva was honored as one of its 50 leading Latina graduates.
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The “Beacon Award” from the Orange County Community Association for her efforts to secure lighting for Richman Park in Fullerton and for encouraging nonprofit organizations to become involved in the area.
Quirk-Silva has four children and is married to Jesus Silva, also a teacher. She resides in the City of Fullerton.