CALIFORNIALIST provides information on pro-choice, Democratic candidates running in California state elections and select local offices as well as those currently elected to office. As per the mission of CALIFORNIALIST, only those candidates running for statewide offices are eligible for official endorsement. By providing biographical information on the candidates, it offers our members an opportunity to support any of the CALIFORNIALIST endorsed candidates of their choosing.

To be endorsed by CALIFORNIALIST, candidates must be a pro-choice Democratic woman running for state-level office in California. In addition, they must have strong name recognition in their community, the ability to fund raise, and campaign experience. Candidates must also agree to various criteria including mentoring and preparing pro-choice, Democratic women if elected.

Women make up more than half of California’s population, but in our state legislature, men outnumber them by more than three to one. Because of term limits, the number of elected women could decrease dramatically. CALIFORNIALIST strives to elect and keep Democratic women in state politics so that women’s voices are equally represented in California state government.

Candidates may download the CALIFORNIALIST CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE (printable PDF)
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2012 STATE SENATE CANDIDATES

Senator Lois Wolk is a re-election candidate for Senate District 3 that includes Napa and Yolo. She has a record of public service that stretches more than 20 years, as a Mayor, County Supervisor and Legislator. In her time in office, Senator Wolk has garnered strong bipartisan support in every election. She has represented nearly half of the registered voters in the new District 3, most of them for ten years or more.

During her three terms in the Assembly and her first term in the State Senate, Senator Wolk has been a leader on agriculture, water and flood management, veteran affairs, elder abuse, education, transportation and more. She currently chairs the powerful Senate Governance and Finance Committee and previously chaired the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee for four years. She is widely recognized as a problem solver who tackles serious issues, including authorship of SB14, a bipartisan measure to establish a performance-based budget process for California.

The new 3rd District has robust wine and agriculture industries and Senator Wolk has a record that matches well. She has served as a member of the Agriculture Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Wine, Chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Olive Oil and Emerging Products and author of numerous measures to support agriculture. She is recognized widely as the Legislature’s strongest advocate for protecting the Delta and Northern California water. She currently represents four of the five Delta Counties and would continue to do so in the new District 3 that represents Contra Costa County instead of San Joaquin.

Senator Wolk has won the immediate support of many of the longest serving leaders of the communities that make up the new SD3, including Congressman Mike Thompson, Congressman George Miller, Congressman John Garamendi and Senator Noreen Evans. Because Senator Wolk is a hard working campaigner, the 3rd Senate District has been uniformly counted as “Safe Democratic – Wolk” by prognosticators from both political parties.

For more information regarding Lois Wolk go to: www.loiswolk.com

Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani is a candidate for Senate District 5 that covers most of Stockton and the towns of Lodi and Galt. Since her election to the State Assembly in 2006 to the 17th Assembly District, which includes Merced County, and portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties, Assemblymember Galgiani has worked to facilitate the fast-moving development of the nation’s first High-Speed Rail project which will create 600,000 new jobs, and put California’s economy on a fast-track to recovery. Assemblymember Galgiani has worked to facilitate the creation and development of California’s newest University of California Campus, UC Merced, and is continuing her work to bring a “School of Medicine” to the campus. As Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, she has sought to promote and protect California’s vibrant agricultural region — the breadbasket to the world.

Assemblymember Galgiani authored AB 3034 which placed Proposition 1A, the California High-Speed Train Bond Act of 2008 on the ballot. Assemblymember Galgiani has worked with California’s Labor Community, the California Chamber, and the Sierra Club, in a collaborative effort to secure more than $3 billion dollars in Federal stimulus funding for High-Speed Rail – more than twice the amount received by any other state. She is recognized in California and nationally as a major advocate, and has addressed National and International conferences on High Speed Rail as the transportation mode of the 21st Century.

Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assemblymember Galgiani served as the consultant to the Legislative Committee on the Development of UC Merced to help secure funding and support for the establishment of California’s 10th University of California Campus, UC Merced. UC Merced’s initial application was filed in 2002, and the first class of students was admitted in 2005. UC Merced is now home to more than 5,000 students, providing opportunities for the highest number of students from low-income families, and the highest number of students who are the first in their family to attend a UC campus.

Upon her election, Assemblymember Galgiani began working to persuade UC officials to start the planning stages for creating a “School of Medicine” at UC Merced. California is expected to have a shortage of 17,000 physicians by the year 2015. In the Fall of 2011, the first class of six medical students will enter the “UC Merced San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (PRIME)” program. This first class will begin their medical education at UC Davis in August 2011, and clinical rotations in the Valley at partner institutions as early as 2013.

Assemblymember Galgiani previously worked for former First Lady Sharon Davis, Congressmember John Garamendi during his tenure as Insurance Commissioner, former State Senator Patrick Johnston, former Assemblymember Barbara Matthews, and former Stockton City Councilmember Loralee McGaughey. Prior to working in the Legislature, she spent eight years as a physical therapy aide at San Joaquin General Hospital and Dameron Hospital in San Joaquin County where she worked with patients recovering from strokes, and other debilitating injuries and diseases.

For more information regarding Cathleen Galgiani go to: www.cathleengalgiani.com

Senator Loni Hancock is running for re-election to the Senate in District 9, which includes the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Livermore, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, and San Pablo. Senator Hancock has spent nearly four decades as a forceful advocate for open government, educational reform, environmental protection, economic development, and social justice. Prior to her election to the California State Senate in 2008, she served three terms in the California State Assembly (14th District). She also was the first woman elected mayor of the City of Berkeley (1986-1994), the Executive Director of the Shalan Foundation, and served in both the Carter and Clinton administrations.

Senator Hancock has been a leading advocate for investing state resources in rehabilitation programs, job training, and employment because she understands that these and similar programs reduce inmate recidivism. As Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee and the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee #5 on Corrections and Public Safety, Senator Hancock seeks to examine programs at all levels of the criminal justice system and implement sound policies that reduce prison overcrowding while protecting public safety. Senator Hancock believes that California’s corrections system is an expensive failure and requires a fundamental restructuring. As a start, Senator Hancock is working to bring government closer to the people by allowing local governments to carry out vital law enforcement services in a more effective and efficient manner.

Since entering the California State Legislature, Senator Hancock has vigorously championed government reform. In 2009-10, she chaired the Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee. She introduced two major Senate Constitutional Amendments aimed at reducing gridlock and increasing the effectiveness of the California State Legislature: SCA 5 would have replaced the 2/3 vote formerly required to pass a budget with a simple majority vote and SCA 24 would change California’s term limits requirement so experienced legislators are available to solve the difficult problems facing California.
While in the Assembly, Senator Hancock served as Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources. In this role, she led efforts to pass historic environmental legislation that would protect open space, expand recycling, and promote healthy city-infill strategies. Senator Hancock currently serves on the Environmental Quality Committee, which oversees legislation relating to air and water quality, waste management and toxic substances, among other environmental issues. Senator Hancock has also authored legislation that greatly expands school-to-career education for California’s high school students. She strongly believes in career academies because they keep young people in school, and better prepares them for college and for real jobs in the new economy. Senator Hancock currently chairs the Select Committee on Workforce Development, School Environment, and Student Wellness.

Born and raised in New York, Senator Hancock received her BA from Ithaca College in 1963 and her MA from the Wright Institute in 1978. She moved to Berkeley in 1964, where she lives today with her husband, Mayor Tom Bates. Senator Hancock has four children and seven grandchildren.

For more information regarding Loni Hancock go to: www.hancockforsenate.com

Sally Lieber is a candidate running for State Senate from San Francisco area. Sally served in the California State Assembly from 2002 until 2008, representing the 22nd Assembly District and serving as the Assembly’s Speaker pro Tempore, only the third woman to hold this leadership position since 1849. Sally also served on the Assembly’s Committees on the Judiciary, Revenue and Taxation, Local Government, Health and Insurance.

In the Assembly, Sally worked to increase the educational and economic opportunities for all citizens of California, to improve environmental protection, and to protect public health through toxics reduction. Sally authored key bills to combat human trafficking in California communities. Due to her leadership, California is considered to have one of the most comprehensive state laws regarding human trafficking crimes. As a strong advocate for under-represented Californians, Sally authored an increase the State’s minimum wage and initiated measures to protect vulnerable seniors, empower people living with disabilities and improve conditions for women in California’s prisons. In 2007, Sally joined with Assemblyman Joel Anderson in authoring legislation to require California’s pension funds to divest of billions of dollars in investments linked to energy and defense companies in Iran.

Throughout her career, Sally has remained committed to improving the health of California’s environment and fostering sustainability. She authored clean air legislation that is responsible for removing tons of cancer-causing particulate matter from California’s air, secured funding for energy efficient ‘green’ schools throughout the State and led efforts to invest in clean technology. A special focus of her work has been on protecting California’s coast and the San Francisco Bay from the potential harm posed by toxic chemical and petroleum shipments. She is proud that her work on environmental protection has been recognized by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters.

Before her election to the State Assembly, Sally served as a Councilwoman and Mayor of the City of Mountain View. She currently serves as an advisor to the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, an agency that was created through her legislation, and recently served on Attorney General Kamala Harris’ Transition Team working on women’s rehabilitation and mental health. Sally studied public policy at Stanford University. She and her husband David enjoy community activities, cycling and windsurfing.

For more information regarding Sally Lieber go to: www.sallylieber.org

Hannah-Beth Jackson is a Senate candidate for District 19 that encompasses Santa Barbara. She was elected to the California State Assembly in 1998. She represented the 35th Assembly District, which included portions of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties for six years. Jackson is a former prosecutor who co-founded two non-profit organizations and has served as a visiting professor at UC Santa Barbara.

During the six years she served in the California Legislature, Hannah-Beth was an advocate for improving public education, increasing public safety, improving access to health care, protecting the environment and protecting the rights of consumers. Assemblymember Jackson authored a number of significant bills on these and other issues, including financial privacy, crime victims, reproductive rights, domestic violence and child care. Jackson worked with Democratic and Republican Governors and authored more than 60 bills that they signed into law.

Assemblymember Jackson served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Coastal Protection. She served as Chair of the bipartisan Legislative Women’s Caucus and was Chair of the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee from 1999-2002. She served on a number of standing committees including the Budget Committee, Judiciary Committee and the Higher Education Committee.

She was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Consumer Federation of California for her strong advocacy on behalf of consumers, particularly in the areas of health care and privacy rights. Jackson was also named “Legislator of the Year” by the Congress of California Seniors for advocacy against elder abuse and health care issues and by the California League of Conservation Voters for her unwavering protection of our natural resources and public health. She was named “Legislator of the Year” by the National Organization for Women for advancing women’s health issues and equal opportunity and by the Junior League of California for her work on domestic violence and issues effecting children. Californians Against Waste named her legislator of the year after the passage of her bills to do with pesticide use and the recycling of electronic-waste. Other awards include “Guardian of the Coast” from Vote the Coast, the “Outstanding Public Service Award” by the California School Employees Association and the Planned Parenthood “Giraffe award” – for sticking her neck out.

Hannah-Beth is married to Superior Court Judge George Eskin. She has a daughter, two stepchildren and four grandchildren. The family has resided in the district for over 35 years.

For information regarding Hannah-Beth Jackson go to: www.hannah-beth2012.com

Senator Carol Liu is running for re-election in newly redistricted Senate District 25 that represents Pasadena. Senator Liu currently serves in Senate District 21 which includes Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, a portion of the city of Los Angeles, and other surrounding cities and communities.

A fifth-generation Californian on her mother’s side, Senator Liu is also the daughter of a father who emigrated from China before World War II. Senator Liu was born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland. She attended public schools and graduated from San Jose State College in 1963.

Senator Liu continued her education at the U.C. Berkeley School of Education where she earned both a lifetime teaching credential and a credential in education administration. She was a teacher in the Richmond, California, public schools from 1964 through 1978 — teaching history at the Junior High level. She also worked as a school administrator from 1978-1984.

Senator Liu quickly emerged as a key community volunteer and civic leader. Initially she focused on education and other issues affecting children, including serving as a PTA President and as President of the Pasadena City College Foundation Board. But she soon became involved in a whole range of issues – from affordable housing to preservation of open space – that affected local quality of life. In 1992 Senator Liu was elected to the La Cañada/Flintridge City Council. She served on the Council for eight years, including two very successful terms as Mayor.

In 2000, Senator Liu was elected to the State Assembly for District 44. A very popular Assemblywoman, she was re-elected twice more, winning each race with a larger margin than the one before. In 2008 she was elected to the State Senate and has won numerous awards including “Legislator of the Year” given to her by the California Occupational Therapy Association in December 2009, “Legislator of the Year” from Arc of California in November 2009, and the “Trailblazer Award” from The Women’s Foundation of California in May 2010.

While serving as Executive Director of the Richmond Federation of Teachers (from 1975-1978) Senator Liu met her future husband, Michael Peevey, at an AFL-CIO convention. They married soon after and, in 1984, moved to Southern California where Mike began a successful career with Southern California Edison. Carol and Mike have three children and three grandchildren.

For information regarding Carol Liu go to: Carol Liu

Senator Fran Pavley is running for re-election for Senate District 27 which encompasses portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Senator Pavley was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. She was a former middle school history teacher with the Moorpark School District and the first Mayor of Agoura Hills. She has a deep understanding of the issues that matter to the 930,000 constituents in the new State Senate District 27.

Prior to her election to the Senate, Senator Pavley, served three terms in the State Assembly. Her landmark legislation on “Clean Car” standards (AB 1493) is now known as the “Pavley” law. These new standards are increasing the fuel efficiency in automobiles, reducing dependence on foreign oil, cleaning up our air, and saving motorists money at the pump. In addition, automobile companies are finally seeing dramatic increases in employment, by designing and manufacturing these cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars that consumers want to purchase. Recently, Senator Pavley was invited to attend a White House Rose Garden ceremony, where the President announced that there would be a new national standard modeled on the “Pavley” law.

Senator Pavley took the lead as the Chair of the Natural Resource and Water Committee at a challenging time. She joined other lawmakers in passing legislation that will help develop a more reliable water supply, restore the Delta ecosystem, and create more regional and conservation programs to meet the needs of both agricultural and urban water users. Senator Pavley also serves on the Energy, Appropriations, Transportation and Housing, and Environmental Quality Policy Committees. She was asked to serve on the Select Committee on Autism.

As Chair of a Select Committee on the Environment and the Economy, Senator Pavley has worked to ensure that California becomes the home of new 21st century businesses and jobs. New policies and programs are spurring public and private investment in alternative fuels, energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean technologies. Her foresight and leadership on these issues have been recognized at home and abroad.

Senator Pavley and her husband, Andy, were both public middle school teachers and they believe that improving California’s schools, colleges and universities is an investment in our state’s economy. Andy and Fran have lived in Agoura Hills for 35 years where they raised their two children and four Guide Dogs.

For information regarding Fran Pavley go to:: www.franpavley.org
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2012 STATE ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES

Assemblymember Mariko Yamada is running for re-election in California’s new Assembly District 4 comprised of all or parts of six counties; Colusa, Napa, Lake, Solano (Dixon), Sonoma (Rohnert Park), and Yolo. Currently, Assemblymember Yamada represents the 8th Assembly District, including ten cities in Solano and Yolo counties, and will continue to do so until the end of November 2012. She serves on five standing Assembly Committees: Aging and Long Term Care (Chair); Agriculture; Labor and Employment; Water, Parks, and Wildlife; and Veterans Affairs.

In January 2011, Assemblymember Yamada was named Chair of a new Assembly Select Committee on Sustainable and Organic Agriculture by Assembly Speaker John Perez. She also serves on the following additional Assembly Select Committees: Homelessness; Regional Approaches to the State’s Water Crisis; State Hospital Safety; State School Financial Takeovers; and Workforce Development Within the Developmentally Disabled Community. During her first term, she also served on these additional Select Committees: Foster Care, and the 2010 Census.

During her first three years in the Assembly, Assemblymember Yamada sent 18 bills to the Governor, 12 of which have been signed into law. Her legislation has focused on Alzheimer’s research; water reform; consumer and civil rights protections; and vote-by-mail elections.

Prior to her election as the 8th District, Assemblymember Yamada served for five years as Yolo County Supervisor, District Four, and for four years as District Director for Yolo County Supervisor, now Yolo County Superior Court Presiding Judge David Rosenberg. She has consistently fought for the protection of civil rights, open space and agricultural preservation, and the inclusion of underserved communities in our educational system, the economy and political process. Her education and experience as a social worker drives her leadership on issues affecting the poor, elderly, and disabled.

Assemblymember Yamada’s experience also includes a decade in Washington, D.C. in federal service, first with the U.S. Census Bureau working on the undercount reduction “campaign” for the 1980 Census and then as the only female investigator in a staff of four headquarters staff with the Office of the Secretary, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Commerce. During her “D.C. days”, Mariko co-produced and co-hosted “Gold Mountain, D.C.”, a jazz and information show on WPFW 89.3 FM, one of the Pacifica Foundation radio affiliates. Classic R&B remains one of her mainstays.

She was born in Denver, Colorado on October 23, 1950, after her family’s release from the Manzanar War Relocation Center, one of ten such Japanese American internment camps established during World War II. She attended inner city public schools in the “Five Points” neighborhood, and in June 1972, was the first in her family to graduate from college, earning her B.A. in psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with an emphasis on the special mental health needs of Asian Americans. This interest brought her to Los Angeles, and in June 1974, she earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California, specializing in community organizing, planning and administration. She began her career in political social work with a Los Angeles –based United Way Agency, and then joined the staff of L.A. County Supervisor Edmund D. Edmund, her first job in politics.

Mariko has been married since 1983 to Janlee Wong, also a social worker and the Executive Director of the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. They have two adult daughters: Meilee, a Research Associate and Director of Social Media for the American Continental Group in Washington, D.C., and Midori, a Consultant at the Treadstone Companies in San Diego.

For more information regarding Mariko Yamada go to: www.marikoyamada.net

Patricia Hernandez is a candidate for Assembly District 11 which includes Antioch and Vacaville. Patricia was born in San Bernardino, CA to Mexican immigrant parents, Angela Bonilla and Juan Hernandez. Because her parents spoke limited English, Patricia began serving as their voices at an early age. As young as three years old, Patricia can remember accompanying her mother to her housekeeper job, where she was able to translate the homeowner’s instructions for her mother. The opportunity to be a voice for someone who needed her stayed with Patricia, and has been a consistent theme in her life.

After high school, Patricia went to UCLA, graduating with her degree in English and Chicana/o Studies. From there, she worked as an Eligibility Worker for San Bernardino County Department of Social Services, and pursued an internship with the San Bernardino City Attorney’s Office, where she began to develop a deeper appreciation for the law. Patricia went on to earn a Juris Doctor from John F. Kennedy University School of Law.

Currently, Patricia uses her voice to negotiate fair and equitable contracts for the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, where she has been for the past 12 years. She serves as the Chief Negotiator for six California Counties, Authorities and Community Clinics in the Bay Area. Patricia’s workday includes a two hour commute each way. It’s a drive she makes because of her love for her community in Rio Vista and her love for her work at UAPD, providing a voice for medical providers as they negotiate for more input into the delivery of quality patient care.

As our representative in Sacramento, Patricia will fight to bring quality of life back to our community. Only by rebuilding our public education systems, providing incentives for businesses to come back to our communities and investing in improvements to infrastructure and public safety, can we again make California a wonderful place to live.

Patricia and her husband, Jerry Sanchez, have two adult children, a five-year-old son and two grandchildren. Jerry is currently Lieutenant of Inspectors with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. Patricia has lived in the District for 15 years. Rio Vista is currently their home.

For more information regarding Patricia Hernandez go to: www.phernandez.com

Susan Eggman is a candidate for Assembly District 13 that includes Stockton. She believes that California is rich with resources and potential; however, we are in a crisis. Susan knows the overwhelming challenges we face seem to be more than our elected leaders can handle, but strong leaders can’t turn their backs just because times are hard; we must work within our system of government and with the people we serve to find solutions.

As a member of the Stockton City Council, Susan learned to keep her city going in these difficult times – just like local officials in every other city. Susan understands that by considering first and foremost the well being of the people and the community she serves, she has been able to solve many problems. She vows to bring the same approach to Sacramento: compassion for people and deep understanding of the issues combined with the strength and willingness to make hard decisions.

Her mother’s family immigrated here from Mexico settling in the Benicia area, and my father’s family came to California in the 1920’s from the south – both looking for work and a better life for their children. They came to California for the same reason as so many others: opportunity! They instilled in Susan the belief that hard work can fulfill the dream of a better life.

Susan is determined that California remains the Golden State, where those who are willing to work hard will have access to their own dream of education, employment, and quality of life.

For more information regarding Susan Eggman go to: www.susaneggman.com

Xochitl (“So-Chee”) Paderes is running for Assembly in District 13 that represents the East Bay. As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and community advocate, Xochitl will stand up to politicians who are bankrupting our communities and bring a renewed focus to creating jobs, fixing our schools, and doing what is right for Valley families.

Born and raised in Tracy, Xochitl lives and breathes the values of the Central Valley. A third generation veteran, Paderes’ grandfather, Sacramento J. Raya, is a WWII Army veteran and farm worker who migrated from Mexico. Xochitl attended local public schools before graduating from San Joaquin Delta College and went on to serve our country in the U.S. Marine Corps. During her service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Xochitl earned a reputation as a problem-solver and innovator. While stationed at the Navy Annex in Virginia and the Pentagon, Xochitl managed multi-million dollar projects that helped modernize operations and improve efficiencies.

After being honorably discharged in 1999, Xochitl returned to Stockton where she began a career in both the public and private sectors. Currently, she serves as a network engineer at the California Department of Fish and Game where she coordinates and oversees multi-million dollar projects across several state agencies. Her experience has given her financial know how and a unique understanding of how to cut government red-tape and eliminate waste to make government work better.

Since returning from the Marines, Xochitl has continued to serve the community through her work at non-profits, local charities, and several city and county boards and commissions. In this capacity she has fought for youth programs, new economic opportunities for local families, stronger schools, and safer neighborhoods. She is currently a member of the San Joaquin County General Plan Committee, and an appointed member of both the San Joaquin County Juvenile Justice-Delinquency Prevention Commission and the City of Stockton Cultural Heritage Board.

Xochitl is fierce advocate for veterans and their families. In the face of strong political opposition, Xochitl helped spearhead the successful effort to build a new Veteran’s Hospital facility in Stockton. The facility will be a lifeline to thousands of area veterans and help create hundreds of new jobs. As Third Vice Commander of the American Legion-Karl Ross Post #16 and Service Officer for District 11, she has been instrumental in efforts to expand job training and placement programs for recently returning veterans. Xochitl also serves on the Disabled American Veterans Charities of San Joaquin and is a volunteer with the Hospice of San Joaquin.

For more information regarding Xochitl Paderes go to: www.paderesforassembly.com

Assemblymember Susan Bonilla is a re-election candidate in the newly redistricted District 14 which includes Concord. She was elected in November 2010 and currently represents California’s 11th Assembly District, which is primarily comprised of the northern portion of Contra Costa County. She previously served on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, representing the County’s 4th District of Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and portions of Walnut Creek. She was elected to the Board in 2006, previously serving on the Concord City Council and as Mayor. Prior to serving as a public official, Assemblymember Bonilla worked as a high school English teacher in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

She currently is the Chairwoman of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #2 on Education Finance where she is focused on renewing California’s commitment to high quality K-12 and higher education. Assemblymember Bonilla is currently authoring five education related bills that will ensure that certain communities, such as foster youth, are not placed at a disadvantage. Additionally, Assemblymember Bonilla is the Chairwoman of the Select Committee on High Quality Early Childhood Education and the California Science, Engineering, Technology, Math (STEM) task force in addition to being a member of the Assembly Health, Transportation, Elections and Redistricting, Budget, and Budget Subcommittee #6 on Budget Process, Oversight and Program Evaluation committees. Her legislative priorities include improving our educational system, fostering economic development and job creation, improving access to health care, and rebuilding California’s transportation system.

As a member of Contra Costa County’s Board of Supervisors, Assemblymember Bonilla created the Foster Youth Employment Program, providing youth in the county foster system job opportunities within the county structure. She also developed partnerships to open the Michael Chavez Center for Economic Opportunity to provide job training directly to residents within the Monument Corridor of Concord. Additionally, she advocated for government partnerships with non-profit agencies and local businesses, creating a new and innovative public/private partnership that provides grants to non-profits to deliver services to our community resulting in taxpayer savings and tangible benefits to the local economy. As a former teacher, she is dedicated to improving California’s public education system. While on the Concord City Council, she initiated the Literacy Coalition, a network of literacy providers dedicated to raising the awareness of literacy needs and mobilizing volunteers to meet those needs.

Assemblymember Bonilla earned her B.A. in English from Azusa Pacific University in 1982 and her teaching credential from CSU Los Angeles in 1987. Assemblymember Bonilla and her husband, John, reside in Concord. They have four daughters and two grandchildren.

For more information regarding Susan Bonilla go to: www.susanbonilla.com

Assemblymember Nancy Skinner is a re-election candidate for Assembly District 15 that serves the Berkeley area. In November 2008, Assemblymember Skinner was elected to represent the Bay Area’s 14th Assembly District that includes Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo and parts of Oakland and El Sobrante.

As a freshman legislator, Assemblymember Skinner was named Chair of the Natural Resources Committee. The Committee’s jurisdiction includes water and air quality, recycling, waste management, energy issues including efficiency, power plant siting, and energy development, oil spills, wild and scenic rivers, forestry, open space conservation and, oversight of California’s global warming solutions act.

Assemblymember Skinner brings to the Assembly experience as a small business owner. Early in her career, she served on the Berkeley City Council and was responsible for many of Berkeley’s groundbreaking environmental policies, including initiating economic development strategy and waterfront protection policies. Her introduction of Berkeley’s 1988 ban on Styrofoam was the first in the nation. A nationally renowned leader in the fight against global warming, she founded ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, an organization dedicated to helping local governments around the world become environmental leaders. As Executive Director of ICLEI’s U.S. office, she launched the Cities for Climate Protection Program, the national movement of Mayors and cities working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that now involves over 500 cities and counties.

As the U.S. Director of The Climate Group, Assemblymember Skinner worked with Fortune 500 companies, clean tech industries and state and national leaders to pass groundbreaking legislation such as California’s global warming bill, AB 32. With a team of writers at Earthworks Press, she also wrote and published the best selling book series 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth.

Prior to being elected to the State Assembly, Assemblymember Skinner served on the Board of the East Bay Regional Parks District. With 100,000 acres of parklands and open space, the District is the largest urban park system in the United States. There, she worked to protect open space, add acres of additional parks, and expand recreational opportunities for youth and schools. Assemblymember Skinner is also a Member of the Utilities and Commerce, Local Government, and Appropriations Committees.

Assemblymember Skinner received both her Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and her Masters in Education from University of California, Berkeley. Her husband, Lance Brady, is retired from the Information Technology Office at the City of Berkeley and her daughter Sirona is a chef in Oakland.

For more information regarding Nancy Skinner go to: www.nancyskinnerforassembly.com

Assemblymember Joan Buchanan was elected to represent the 15th District in the California State Assembly in November 2008 and is running for re-election for the new District 16 for Tri-Valley. She serves on the Accountability and Administrative Review, Education, Transportation, and Utilities and Commerce Committees and chairs the Select Committee on Innovation and the Bay Area Economy. Joan also represents the Assembly on the Advisory Commission on Special Needs and on the Early Learning Quality Improvements System Advisory Commission.

Assemblymember Buchanan honed her financial and analytical skills at Delta Dental becoming one of the fastest rising women in the company and Director of Commercial Operations before the age of 30. She left the private sector to raise her five children and in the process became one of the San Ramon Valley’s most effective community activists.

As a soccer coach and public school parent, Assemblymember Buchanan knew first hand the kind of help schools needed. Thus began her nearly 20-year service on the San Ramon Valley School Board including 4 terms as president. Under her leadership, the district took a new direction. Over 94% of the district’s graduating seniors attend college or university. And, despite being severely under funded, SRVUSD has received state and national recognition for student achievement. SRVUSD now ranks among the top 5% of all school districts in California.

Assemblymember Buchanan’s expertise in budgeting and organizational development has served the community well. She led successful negotiations with both teachers and developers and she created the District’s trust that protects retirement benefits. Her entrepreneurial approach has resulted in a number of community firsts. As Vice-President of the San Ramon Valley School Age Child Care Alliance she helped bring school-age childcare to San Ramon elementary schools; she successfully chaired the 1994 “No on Vouchers” campaign to protect public school funds; and as PTA President at Alamo Elementary, Joan created a coalition that raised money to build a much needed outdoor theater.

Joan’s parents, a bartender and a waitress, taught her that each of us must do all we can to safeguard and improve our neighborhood and larger community. For doing just this, Assemblymember Buchanan has received numerous recognitions including the California Teachers Association State Gold Award and the Alamo Rotary Club Citizen of the Year.

For more information regarding Joan Buchanan go to: www.joanbuchanan.com

Sarabjit Cheema is a candidate for Assembly District 20 that represents the East Bay area. Sarabjit was elected to the New Haven Unified School District as a Governing Board Member in 2010.

Born in Punjab, India, Sarabjit taught math and science in her native country before moving in 1991 to the United States, where she has worked as both a part-time and substitute teacher and as a transportation engineer. Long active on school site councils and parent-teacher associations, Sarabjit participated in New Haven’s Strategic Planning process and is member of the District’s Equity Task Force. She also is a member of Union City’s Human Relations Commission.

Sarabjit and her husband are the parents of three sons who attended New Haven schools, the youngest of whom is a senior at James Logan High.

Biographical information coming soon.

For more information regarding Dr. Jennifer Ong go to: www.drjenniferong.org

Lesa Rasmussen is a State Assembly candidate for District 21 which includes Merced. She is a native of Merced County, born and raised in Merced and lived there most of her life, so her roots are very deep in the community.

As a past Atwater School Board Trustee and Atwater City Council member, Lesa has worked with educators, business leaders, concerned citizens, and elected officials from several counties on critical issues including a Federally-required wastewater treatment plant upgrade, expanding the sphere of influence for land use and planning, economic development and jobs, environmental clean-up of Castle Air Force Base, Atwater Citizens Advisory Committee-Finance & Budget, general Plan updates, city budget review and approval, upgrades to police and fire services, and youth and recreation programs.

Lesa’s community activities have included Little Guys Baseball, National League President, volunteer Summer camp coordinator City of Merced, Atwater Police Activities League Founding Member, Legislation Chair for California Women for Agriculture, Secretary Atwater Women’s Club, 1st Vice President American Legion Auxiliary, Merced County NAACP, Treasurer Merced Fish and Game and numerous fundraising committees including Merced County Food Bank, American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

Professionally, Lesa worked as a non-profit administrator with the Merced Community Action Agency (Food Bank, Energy Assistance, Housing & Homeless Services) and as Executive Director of United Way of Merced County. For nearly a decade she worked with two State Assemblymembers as a senior staff member providing District constituent services and representing the members at important community forums. I worked with community leaders and citizens from Merced, Madera and Stanislaus counties acting as both a conduit of information and facilitator to resolve community problems with multiple state agencies and departments.

Lesa has been married to my husband, John for 42 years and they have four children and four grandchildren.

For more information regarding Lesa Rasmussen go to: www.lesarasmussen.com

Assemblymember Nora Campos was elected in November 2010 to represent the 23rd Assembly District, encompassing approximately half of the city of San José, including East San José, downtown and the Monterey Road corridor and is running for re-election in the redistricted 27th District for San José. She previously served as a City Councilmember in San José, where she was first elected in 2001 in a special election and twice overwhelmingly re-elected to represent residents in East San José.

Assemblymember Campos is the Chair of the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism & Internet Media Committee, where she is focusing her efforts on bridging the gap between the high-tech, education and arts sectors, while ensuring that our Internet and entertainment industries in California are able to thrive and continue to grow.

Key pieces of legislation introduced by Assemblymember Campos are AB 403 and AB 746. AB 403 would require the State Department of Public Health to establish a primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium (Chrome 6) before January 1, 2013. This cancer-causing contaminant is widely found throughout drinking water in California. Assemblymember Campos introduced AB 403 because she believes that all residents in California deserve access to clean drinking water, free from harmful contaminants. AB 746 is Assemblymember Campos’ Cyber Bullying legislation. This bill simply clarifies the language of the existing law to specifically include any posts on social networking sites in the definition of bullying. This bill has received wide support from various stakeholders.

At the local level, Assemblymember Campos forged a $73.5 million public/private partnership that turned a once neglected area and former beacon for crime and blight into a major economic engine for San José, increasing the tax base by 105 percent. She maintained a commitment to providing increased access to affordable housing for renters and first-time home-buyers, while working with public and private entities to create jobs and stimulate California’s economy. While on the City Council, Assemblymember Campos also partnered with Grail Family Services in the development of the reading mentor program, “Yes, We Can…READ!” This program connects Silicon Valley professionals with elementary students in East San José as reading mentors, spending one hour a week together to develop the children’s literacy skills. This program was the first of its kind in East San José.

Raised in East San José, Assemblymember Campos currently lives in San José. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University and is an alumnus of the Alum Rock and East Side Union school districts. She is married and has one son.

Biographical information coming soon.

For more information regarding Victoria Rusnak go to: www.rusnakforassembly.com

Laurette Healey is an Assembly candidate for District 46 that includes Sherman Oaks. Laurette’s state government work experience includes serving as Deputy State Controller to former State Controller Steve Westly and in the Executive Office of State Controller John Chiang. More recently, Laurette coordinated environmental technologies and job placement programs through California’s community colleges.

In 2004, Laurette was elected by a consortium of South Valley Neighborhood Council’s to represent the Valley’s priorities during the Mayor’s Budget Process, and was elected to the Board of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council, serving as its Government Affairs Chair for three years.

Laurette has served on countless community and advocacy boards including Board Member on the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, Board Member on the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV), Member on the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, Board Member, “Beyond the Bell” for LAUSD, Member, National Women’s Business Owners Organization, LA, Board Member, Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council, Government Affairs Chair, Los Angeles Police Department LGBT Valley Advisory Committee, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s LGBT Advisory Council, Member, Valley Industry & Commerce Assoc. (VICA), Government Affairs Committee, Member, Sierra Club, State Air Quality committee, Vice President, Stonewall Democratic Club, Board Member, Equality California and Board Member, Women’s Democratic Club of the San Fernando Valley.

Before turning to public service, Laurette had distinguished herself as a successful businesswoman in the entertainment industry as a founder of her own entertainment firm in partnership with Home Shopping Network Entertainment, JV, Inc. She was also named to the “Who’s Who of Women Executives” as one of the youngest female CEOs of a public company in America at that time.

For more information regarding Laurette Healey go to: www.electhealey.com

Cheryl Brown is a candidate for State Assembly in District 47 that represents Rialto. Cheryl is a 1971 graduate of San Bernardino Valley College and a 1974 graduate of California State University at San Bernardino with a BA in Geography. She began working soon after graduation at the San Bernardino County Planning Department, becoming the first Black to be hired in the county department. In 1977, she left the department to become a stay-at-home mother with a new daughter.

In 1980, Cheryl became co-publisher of The Black Voice News and changed its focus and content and worked tirelessly documenting community news and information for over 30 years. In 2008, she took a sabbatical from the paper and became a district representative for State Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod. In 2011, she re-entered state service and presently works part-time for Assemblymember Wilmer “Amina” Carter.

As an active community member she has been involved in a vast number of community organizations including serving as a planning commissioner for both the County of San Bernardino for 12 years and the City of San Bernardino for 5 years. During her tenure as a commissioner she was elected president of the California County Commissioners Association.

Cheryl has also been involved in the National Council of Negro Women, where she served as president of the Inland Empire section, the Inland Empire Urban League, Arrowhead United Way, YWCA, San Gorgonio Girl Scout Council, Charles Dickens Festival, and NAACP. For years she has been active in planning and executing many events including: Take a Cop to Lunch, Bill Pickett Rodeo, and Footsteps to Freedom Underground Railroad Field Study program, she chaired the 50th Anniversary of the National Newspaper Publisher Association’s conferences held in Las Vegas and Chicago. She was a television talk show host for 12 years on local access television KCSB Channel 3 and as a journalist she has appeared on Burden of Proof, MSNBC, the Brian Williams Show, and Channel 11 Fox News.

Cheryl was awarded Publisher of the Year by West Coast Black Publisher’s Association. She has also won Businesswoman of the Year awards, Riverside YWCA Woman of Achievement, NAACPer of the Year, CSU San Bernardino Alumnus of the Year, Riverside Black History Committee Award, Spirit of Nonprofit Award, the Amazing Hero Award from Columbus Times Newspaper in Columbus, GA, the Elites Myrtle Robinson Humanitarian Award, the Minority Media Cornerstone of the Year by Inland Empire Minority Development Center.

Cheryl and her husband Hardy have been married for 48 years and she is the mother of four, grandmother of eight and a great grandmother of four. She is also a trustee at her church, St. Paul A.M.E. Church in San Bernardino.

For more information regarding Cheryl Brown go to: www.brownforassembly2012.com

Assemblymember Betsy Butler is a re-election candidate for District 50 that will serve West Los Angeles. A long time organizer and activist, Assemblymember Butler has fought for working families and healthy communities at the local, state and national level.

A current board member of Equality California and a former president of the National Women’s Political Caucus (LA Westside Chapter), Assemblymember Butler remains committed to fighting for equality and fairness for all and has been actively working to elect progressive leaders for decades. In 2006, then-Congresswoman Hilda Solis recognized Assemblymember Butler for her activism and commitment to working families at the Congresswoman’s annual leadership luncheon.

Assemblymember Butler’s commitment to public service was solidified during her years in college as an intern for Assemblymember Lucy Killea, U.S. Senator Alan Cranston and Lt. Governor Leo McCarthy. After graduation, Assemblywoman Butler was a field representative for Lt. Governor McCarthy where she served as a community liaison in 29 cities across Los Angeles and coordinated public policy outreach regarding a wide range of issues including economic development, international trade and green technology investment as well as elder care and environmental protection matters.

Assemblymember Butler also served in the Clinton administration at the Department of Commerce in the International Trade Administration where she worked on the trade policy priorities of the early 1990’s including the Uruguay Round and WTO transformation matters, intellectual property rights and trade development. At the California League of Conservation Voters and the Environmental Defense Fund, Assemblymember Butler helped create and solidify communities of support for strategic environmental movements including carbon emission standard changes, water conservation and habitat protection policies.

A resident of the Marina del Rey and South Bay area of Los Angeles for nearly twenty years, Assemblywoman Butler is active in local grassroots groups promoting green and responsible development in her neighborhood. Born in Sacramento, Assemblymember Butler graduated from San Diego State University and from the Executive Program in Management at UCLA.

For more information regarding Betsy Butler go to: www.betsybutler.com

Torie Osborn is a candidate for State Assembly District 50 that includes the West Los Angeles area. Torie is an innovative leader who has guided some of the nation’s most effective non-profit organizations as they tackled tremendous challenges – including the early AIDS crisis, poverty and homelessness, and health care. She is recognized nationally for her community-organizing approach to solving problems and for being at the forefront of the major fights for social justice for 45 years.

Torie earned her MBA at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, and served as CEO for four nonprofit advocacy and philanthropic organizations. From 1997 through 2005, Torie was executive director of the Liberty Hill Foundation, one of the nation’s most admired social-change foundations. Liberty Hill funds grassroots community organizing for environmental, social and economic justice in Los Angeles County.

In the mid-1990s, Torie served as executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Washington DC, the nation’s oldest gay and lesbian civil rights organization, and, from 1988 to 1992, at the height of the AIDS epidemic in Los Angeles, she led the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. Throughout those years, Torie was a nationally respected leader in fighting AIDS, and in the LGBT movement for equality.

Since leading those organizations, Torie has served as a senior policy advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on homelessness, poverty and economic development. She initiated the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships that implements joint projects between government and philanthropy. Torie also served as Chief Civic Engagement Officer for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, and currently is senior strategist for California Calls, a network of 27 organizations throughout California committed to common-sense government reform – including fair tax and budget policy. In addition to her MBA from UCLA, Torie holds her BA from Middlebury College. She is a 25-year resident of Santa Monica, California.

For more information regarding Torie Osborn go to: www.torieosborn.com

Assemblymember Norma Torres is running for re-election in Assembly District 52 that serves Ontario.

As a 911 emergency dispatcher for the city of Los Angeles, Assemblymember Torres’ life changed forever when a Spanish speaker called with an emergency and the person answering the phone couldn’t understand her. By the time the call was transferred to her, all she heard on the other end of the phone was the sound of five bullets hitting and killing a young girl.

This experience inspired Assemblymember Torres, who successfully led the fight to require bilingual dispatchers at the LAPD’s 911 center and went on to make protecting our communities the focal point of her work as a City Councilmember, Mayor and Assemblymember, she got involved in her neighborhood association and established a successful neighborhood watch program. She ran for and won election to the Pomona City Council in 2000, served as Mayor from 2006 to 2008. At the city level, Assemblymember Torres fought to make neighborhoods safer, to bring new jobs and improve the local economy, and to improve neighborhoods and protect homeowners.

Norma lives in Pomona with her husband, Louis, and their two sons, Robert and Matt. Her son, Airman Christopher, is currently serving on active duty with the U.S. Air Force.

For more information regarding Norma Torres go to: www.normatorres.com

Assemblymember Holly J. Mitchell was elected in November 2010 and will be running for re-election in the District 54 that serves Culver City. Currently, she serves the 47th Assembly District, which includes communities in the Los Angeles area.

Assemblymember Mitchell comes to the State Assembly from leadership in California’s non-profit sector where, as the chief executive officer of Crystal Stairs for the last seven years, she has championed family-focused policymaking throughout the state.

Previously, Assemblymember Mitchell worked in the Los Angeles district office of former State Senator Diane Watson providing community and constituent services. As a policy analyst for the California Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, she sought fiscally sound ways to expand health care and other vital services for all Californians. As the legislative advocate of the Western Center for Law and Poverty she helped develop, implement and increase enrollment in the groundbreaking Healthy Families program, later serving as executive director of the Black Women’s Health Project in Los Angeles where she fought to further improve access to affordable care.

At Crystal Stairs she guided one of the largest childcare agencies in California, improving the lives of families by providing access to daily childcare services for nearly 25,000 children in the Los Angeles area, while meeting a monthly payroll for hundreds of employees. As a working mother of a fifth grader, Assemblymember Mitchell understands the concerns of working families, and is committed to pursuing legislation that meets their needs. In the Assembly, she is focused on improving access to and the quality of the state’s public health and education systems. She is also dedicated to job creation and finding a balance between business and environmental interests in preserving the state’s natural resources.

Assemblymember Mitchell’s commitment to community service and social justice began in elementary school as a student volunteer in a congressional campaign, which eventually led to an extensive record of student activism and a Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, following her undergraduate studies at UC Riverside.

Cristina Garcia is a candidate for Assembly District 58 that includes Cerritos and Montebello. She is one of Southeast Los Angeles County’s leaders in promoting a quality public education for every student and ethical conduct and effectiveness in local and state government. As a community advocate, she believes that doing the right thing is worth the effort and that hard work pays off. As a professor, she is known as a tough, innovative and motivating educator. Cristina has taught statistics at the University of Southern California (USC) and Mathematics at Los Angeles City Community College, through the Jaime Escalante Program at East Los Angeles Community College and Huntington Park High School.

Cristina was raised in the Southeast Los Angeles community of Bell Gardens and attended local schools. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from Pomona College, two Masters Degrees from Claremont Graduate University and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and a PhD from USC.

By demanding greater accountability, transparency and ethics in local government, Cristina is using her higher education to help improve the lives of working families in the community in which she was raised. Because of her reputation as an effective community advocate—when the Bell corruption scandal broke and gained national attention—Bell residents turned to her and asked her to help clean up their local government. She worked with them to form BASTA, the local advocacy organization. BASTA’s work forced out Bell’s corrupt officials, ushering in accountability and transparency for the first time in the city’s history. A new city council was elected and far-reaching reforms are now being implemented in Bell, giving citizens the good government they deserve.

As an educator Cristina has also made a difference. She has taught math to local high students through the Jaime Escalante Program, served as a math advocate in South LA, a tutor for elementary kids in Cudahy, and worked with the Los Angeles Community College District to help students pass the California High School Exit Exam and the GED. Last year, Cristina was recognized by California Forward with the distinguished California Forward Thinkers Award, Democrat of the Year and earned the Distinguished Woman of the Year Award from the California State Assembly.

Cristina attributes her tenacity and commitment to her mother’s life example. She says, “My mom is one of those no-nonsense, no-excuses people. She passionately believes in hard work and the American Dream.” She concludes, “To protect that American Dream, we desperately need to change our political system to one of service and not pay outs. Working families are the ones hurt most by corruption and greed.”

For more information regarding Cristina Garcia go to: www.cristinagarcia2012.com

Sharon Quirk-Silva is running for Assembly in District 65 that represents Fullerton. A lifelong resident of Fullerton, she was educated in that city’s public schools from K-12 and went on to earn an AA degree from Fullerton College, a BA in sociology at UCLA, and a Teaching Credential from Cal State Fullerton. As one of ten children, she honed negotiating skills and learned the pluses of teamwork early on.

As a teacher in the Fullerton School District for the last 24 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.

In 2004, she took the next step in her career of service and ran successfully for the Fullerton City Council. She’s been a member of the council ever since, serving as mayor in 2007, and was the top vote-getter in the 2008 election. Currently in her second term as Mayor of Fullerton, Sharon Quirk-Silva is known as a hard worker, one who presses for more transparency and communication between council leadership and the public. Not only has she met with more Fullerton constituents than any of her predecessors during mayor’s office hours, but she leads “Walk & Talks” once a month, taking citizens on walking tours of neighborhoods and discussing issues facing residents and businesses. Other innovative programs have supported local businesses and provided annual public recognition of outstanding local women in leadership.

Regionally, she has been active in organizations serving all of District 65 and Orange County, becoming familiar with our 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. Many of her honors reflect her regional involvement.

Sharon knows the importance of community action and advocacy for Orange County’s families and businesses. She will take to Sacramento that tireless advocacy and talent for bringing people together to solve problems.

Mayor Quirk-Silva has four children and is married to Jesus Silva, also a teacher.

For more information regarding Sharon Quirk-Silva go to: www.sharonquirksilva.com

Michele Martinez is a candidate for Assembly in District 69 that serves Santa Ana. Michele’s passion for public service stems from her strong commitment to serving her community. As one of the youngest to serve on the City Council, Michele brings new and positive energy to the City of Santa Ana. Michele was elected to the City Council in November of 2006 and was re-elected for a second term in 2010.

Michele was raised in Santa Ana and has lived in the city for over 20 years. She is a product of the Santa Ana Unified School District and also attended Santa Ana College. Michele has focused many of her efforts on helping low-income youth continue onto higher education. She spends her free time building community partnerships to help mentor and sponsor educational programs for students and currently is a Board Member for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana and a Board Member for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

Michele is a graduate of the nationally recognized Pew Civic Leadership Program, where she developed her leadership skills including city planning, community advocacy, and policy development. In addition to Michele’s public service, in 2007 she has been named one of the 20 Women to Watch in Orange County and was recognized as the Emerging Latina of the Year in 2007 by the National Latina Business Women Association. In 2008, Michele was the recipient of the Hispanic Influential award by the United Way of Orange County for her outstanding achievements and contributions to the community. As one of Cal State Fullerton’s successful Latino alumni, she was selected as part of “Querer es Poder” (Too want is to be able to) for her efforts in motivating young people to aspire for a college education.

Michele’s priorities on the council include economic development, public health, safety, and education. Michele understands the importance of having a thriving economic base to support job creation and a healthy and safe community. Furthermore, Michele is a strong supporter of local business and the critical role they play in education, our neighborhood preservation, and the economic development of the city.

Michele serves on two city council committees; she chairs the Parks, Recreation, Education, and Youth Council Committee and is a member of the Neighborhood Improvement/Code Enforcement Committee. Michele also represents the City of Santa Ana on several regional and state boards; she currently serves on the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization representing six counties, 189 cities and more than 19 million residents. SCAG undertakes a variety of planning and policy initiatives to encourage a more sustainable Southern California.
Michele also serves as a SCAG Ex-Officio member to the board of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink). She is also the City’s representative on Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG), a joint powers authority established to monitor, analyze and provide Orange County’s technical and policy recommendations on all SCAG plans and programs. Michele represents the City on the State Workforce Investment Board (WIB) assisting the Governor in all the functions outlined in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The WIB is committed to developing a unified, strategic planning process to coordinate various education, training, and employment programs into an integrated workforce development system that supports economic development. Lastly, she is actively involved with NALEO’s California Health Leadership Program designed to enhance the effectiveness of Latino elected officials and their ability to advance successful health policy and effect changes in our community.

Michele is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton where she earned a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice. In the fall of 2011 Michele will be attending Cal State Fullerton to pursue a Masters Degree in Public Health. She is currently the Director of the Orange County Nutrition and Physical Activity Collaborative (NuPAC) Obesity Prevention Plan. Michele enjoys spending her free time cycling and living a healthy life style.

Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal is running for re-election in Assembly District 70 that serves Long Beach. Assemblymember Lowenthal is among the most experienced and seasoned members of the Legislature. During her two terms in the Assembly she helped deliver 18,000 good-paying jobs and protected the employment rights of thousands of workers, while standing up for children, seniors and the environment.

She brought to Sacramento decades of public service and a lifetime of experience. She served two terms on the Long Beach Unified School Board, where she fought for full inclusion, and helped Long Beach earn a national reputation as one of the country’s best urban school districts. She also served two terms on the City Council, where she made sure that the residents of her working-class district were as well represented at City Hall as residents of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

Assemblymember Lowenthal is chair of the powerful Assembly Transportation Committee, an assignment that allowed her to build on her previous experience on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority. She knows where the rubber meets the road. She also brings her experience as a licensed mental health professional to her work on the Assembly Health Committee, where she has been a dependable advocate for patients and their caregivers alike.

Assemblymember Lowenthal is vice chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus. She chairs the Assembly Committee on Transportation; the Joint Committee on Emergency Management; and the Select Committee on Ports. She serves as a member of the committees on Accountability and Administrative Review; Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials; and Health. She also is a member of select committees on California-Mexico Bi-National Affairs; Foster Care; and Wine; as well as the joint committees on Fisheries & Aquaculture. She has authored laws that: protect coastal waters from invasive species; make it easier for older adults to stay in their homes; encourage state workers to blow the whistle on wrongdoing; and make it easier for school district to give kids a safe ride to school. She also has written laws that bring additional federal funds to foster youth; protect injured workers from unjust medical bills; and bring down the cost of prison healthcare by millions of dollars a year.

She is a leading advocate of open government and institutional reform. She enjoys the support of working people, labor unions, environmentalists, childcare advocates and good-government groups. She has been named Legislator of the Year by the California Assisted Living Association, by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and by the California Chiropractic Association. Her efforts on behalf of women and children have brought similar accolades.
Bonnie is a mother and a grandmother. She was born in New York the child of immigrants who came to this country to escape religious persecution. She wants all immigrants to find the opportunity her parents found.

For more information regarding Bonnie Lowenthal go to: www.bonnielowenthal.com

Assemblymember Toni Atkins is a re-election candidate in the redistricted District 78 that includes Coastal San Diego. She was elected to the state legislature in 2010 and currelty represents the 76th Assembly District, in San Diego. In her first year of service, Assemblymember Atkins was tapped by Assembly Speaker John Perez to serve as Majority Whip, a leadership position in the Democratic caucus. She also serves on five committees — Housing and Community Development, Judiciary, Health, Governmental Organization and Veterans — and is chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Homelessness.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assemblymember Atkins served on the San Diego City Council for eight years, where she became known as the area’s pre-eminent leader on affordable housing. She also led the City Council in the adoption of a Living Wage Ordinance. Atkins served as the chair of the City’s newly created Budget and Finance Committee and, in 2005, was selected by her colleagues to be Acting Mayor during a vacancy in that position.

Assemblymember Atkins is originally from southwestern Virginia. She graduated from Emory and Henry College with a degree in political science with a focus on community organizing. In July 2004, she completed the Senior Executive Program at the prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Assemblymember Atkins has received numerous awards, including the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Award. She also received the Coastal Champion Award from San Diego Coastkeeper, the “Distinguished Alonzo” Award from the Downtown San Diego Partnership, and was named a “Beacon of Light” by the San Diego Living Wage Coalition.

For more information regarding Toni Atkins go to: www.atkinsforassembly.com

Biographical information coming soon.

For more information regarding Pat Washington go to: www.pat-washington-for-assembly-2012.com

Dr. Shirley Weber is an Assembly candidate running in District 79 that includes Bonita La Mesa. Born to sharecroppers of Hope, Arkansas, Shirley Nash (Weber) has lived in California since the age of 3. Educated in inner-city public schools, she graduated with honors and entered UCLA, where she received her BA, MA and PhD by the age of 26 years. Prior to receiving her doctorate, she became a professor at San Diego State University at the age of 23. Dr. Weber also taught at California State University at Los Angeles and Los Angeles City College before coming to SDSU. While a student at UCLA, she worked as a case worker for the Episcopal City Mission Society serving the aged and indigents.

As a professor, she was instrumental in developing a new discipline and became department chairperson. As a young professor, she immediately joined the union, United Professors of California, and learned about collective bargaining. She served as diversity chair, and Vice President. She was instrumental in getting collective bargaining and agency shop.

Dr. Weber has lived in the 79th Assembly District for over 30 years. Her children attended public school in the district and she was elected to the school board to represent much of the district. As a board member, and subsequent board president, she became known for her advocacy for closing the achievement gap and a higher standard of excellence for all children. During her terms on the board, dropout rates decreased and high school achievement among African American males and Hispanic females (two targeted groups) rose. Additionally, the board placed a successful initiative on the ballot that built new schools in older, overcrowded neighborhoods.

She was selected to service on the National Alliance for Restructuring Schools and became the national Vice Chairperson of this multi-million dollar initiative. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on the Alliance board and therefore we assisted then Governor Bill Clinton in bringing needed reform to Arkansas schools. For her humanitarian work, Dr. Weber has received hundreds of awards from a wide range of organizations too numerous to name. 2006, Dr. Weber was appointed to the Board of Directors of Southwestern Christian College, an HBCU in Terrell, Texas. In 2009, she was selected as the SDSU’s Top 25 honored by SDSU President Stephen Weber.

2005-2006, Dr. Weber hosted a popular weekly radio program weekly entitled, “It’s a New Day with Dr. Shirley Weber,” on KURS AM 1040. The program was broadcasted live throughout San Diego and internationally over the internet. In 2006, she aired her program live from Johannesburg, South Africa, sharing her student’s perspectives and those of the local South African. Dr. Weber lectures widely throughout the United States, Caribbean and Africa.
Dr. Weber currently serves as the mayor’s appointee and Chair on the Citizens’ Equal Opportunity Commission. She has served on the Board of the NAACP, YWCA, YMCA Scholarship Committee, Battered Women Services, United Way, San Diego Consortium and Private Industry Council, and many more. Dr. Weber’s membership and involvement in the San Diego local community are too numerous to mention. She has helped and supported almost every major organization in the 79th District. Her work has touched the lives of thousands of young people throughout the county and the world.

Dr. Weber is the mother of two children: Akilah, a medical doctor in Dallas, TX, and Akil, a college student in San Diego. Dr. Weber is the widow of the late Honorable Daniel Weber, a California state judge. Her hobbies include reading and sewing.

For more information regarding Dr. Shirley Weber go to: www.drweber4assembly.com
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2014 EXECUTIVE BRANCH CANDIDATE

Boardmember Betty Yee is a candidate of California State Controller and has over 25 years of experience in public service, specializing in state and local finance. Since 2006, Boardmember Yee has served as the First District Member on the California State Board of Equalization, the nation’s only elected tax commission, as a consistent voice for fairness in how California applies its tax laws. In her prior capacity as the Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Finance, Boardmember Yee was responsible for the development of the Governor’s Budget, led budget negotiations with the Legislature and with key budget stakeholders, and oversaw the analyses of every bill with a fiscal impact. Through her work on the Board, Boardmember Yee has had the opportunity to work on issues affecting the economic and social well-being of women, such as convening financial management and entrepreneurship seminars.

Boardmember Yee was born in San Francisco to immigrant parents who owned a laundry and dry cleaning business. They worked hard to ensure a better life for their six children. Boardmember Yee is a proud product of the San Francisco public schools. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree from Golden Gate University, San Francisco. Her commitment to hard work and service were influenced heavily by her upbringing and strong sense of family. Boardmember Yee’s commitment to service and her experience working in the family business inspired her to enter public service so that she may do her part to ensure that the doors of opportunity remain open to Californians and their families to succeed and thrive.

Boardmember Yee is a longtime advocate for women’s rights. She has been a vocal, visible spokesperson for ballot measures that have been defeated in California attempting to restrict reproductive choice and family planning service. During her tenure as Chief Deputy Finance Director for the State of California, she fought for preserving funding for family planning and comprehensive reproductive health care. She also fought for equal pay for equal work for women.

Boardmember Yee continues her dedication to mentoring women, inspired by the great women leaders who blazed the trail for her journey to elective office, who aspire to public service or seek elected or appointed office. She understands the importance of increasing the number of women in office to shape public policy and believes it to be her duty as a public official to help the next generation of women gain entry into office. She is proud to continue her personal commitment of working to elect more qualified women into office at all levels of government through financial support, mentorship, and endorsement.