Bertha Underhill grew up in Salinas CA. Attended north Salinas High School in 1961. She then attended Hartnell Jr. College, Salinas, CA, and earned her Associates of Arts in sociology and public relations in 1964. She also studied sociology at San Francisco State University and San Jose State University.
Following college, she began work as an accounting supervisor in 1965 for Pacific Bell in San Francisco and San Jose and continued with the company until 1985.
While living in the Bay Area, she visited Calaveras County with her husband Dick who enjoyed taking deer hunting trips in the area. She quickly fell in love with the small community that reminded her of growing up Salinas, and she and her husband quit their jobs in 1988 and moved to Camp Connell. She has since moved to Arnold where it is warmer.
Underhill is very community oriented and immersed herself in myriad community groups throughout Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. She also enjoys watching sports, crocheting and takes an active role at St. Patrick’s Parish.
Underhill served as CCWD’s Division 3 director from 2001 – 2008 and again from 2014 to present.
In addition to her duties at CCWD, Underhill has worked on a variety of special projects throughout the region, including:
- Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau 1995 – 2013
- Membership recruitment and Advertising Sales in Visitors Guide
- Central Sierra Seasons Magazine 1995 – 2009
- Calaveras County Advertising Sales
- Calaveras County Visitors Bureau 1992 – 1995
- Membership Recruitment and Advertising Sales in Visitors Guide
- Friends and Neighbors Magazine 2010 – Present
- Calaveras, Tuolumne, Amador Counties Advertising Sales
Underhill said she is proud to have helped to steer CCWD in a positive direction over the years and helping to establish positive relationships with ratepayers.