Run Women Run Names Francine Busby to Executive Director Position

Former Congressional Candidate and Cardiff school board member Francine Busby has been named executive director of Run Women Run, announced Michelle Burton, president of the organization. Run Women Run, started in 2008, is a non-partisan political action committee that inspires, recruits, trains and mentors pro-choice San Diego women who are seeking elected or appointed office.

“We are excited that Francine has agreed to lead our organization as we approach an important election year,” said Burton. “National numbers indicate that women are still a minority in most state Legislatures, in Congress and as mayors of major cities.”

Busby, a long time advocate and mentor for girls and women, has served as an adjunct professor of Woman's Studies at California State University, San Marcos and as an elected member of the Cardiff School Board where she guided the district through a tumultuous transition involving critical personnel issues, multi-million dollar budgets, union negotiations and decisions that affected hundreds of families.

“While women are certainly not monolithic, women legislators are more likely than their male counter parts to support policies and laws related to the education, protection of reproductive rights and other issues impacting women and children,” said Busby.

Busby has mentored women in offices from school board and city council to state Assembly and Congress. She has also worked closely with Emily's List, the California List, California Women Lead, the National Organization for Women, National Women’s Political Caucus, Emerge, Planned Parenthood and other organizations that support women in leadership and elected office.

While raising her family, Busby served on governing boards of numerous community organizations including serving as the founding president of the Casa Teresa Central Guild in Orange County, as president of the Cardiff Education Foundation and as a Girl Scout troop leader.

Busby grew up in an Italian American family of small business owners in the Los Angeles area. She graduated from UC Irvine with a B.A. in humanities. She has been married to David Busby, a computer software engineer for 32 years, and they have two adult children. They have lived in Cardiff-by the Sea for 23 years.