City Council District 2

Paul Krekorian

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Member of the City Council
  • LA County Metro Board Member
  • Budget and Finance Committee, Chair
  • Economic Development Committee
  • State Assemblymember, District 43 (2006-2009)
  • Film and TV Production Jobs Committee, Chair
  • Burbank School Board Member (2003-2006)
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Steering Los Angeles to a budget surplus and fully restoring neighborhood services.
  • Expanding public transportation infrastructure, including Valley rail and bus service.
  • Creating good jobs with good pay, including keeping film and TV jobs in the Valley.

David Hernandez

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

Eric Preven

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Writer/Producer/Consultant
  • 29 year Valley Resident of Studio City
  • Two Decades of WGA and ATAS membership
  • Participated in the last three years of weekly Los Angeles County board meetings (163)
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Helping Valley Residents get City Services, especially Reducing Crime
  • Reducing Traffic by Increasing Citywide Light Rail and Doubling Valley Bus Service
  • Expanded opportunities for civic participation & engagement, as well as Government Ethics Reform

City Council District 4

Steve Veres

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Los Angeles Community College Trustee
  • District Director for State Senate Pro Tem Kevin de León
  • Chair of LACCD'S Facility Master Planning & Oversight Committee
  • Appointed to the Metropolitan Transit Authority's San Fernando Valley Service Sector Governance Council
  • Elected and served on San Fernando City Council
  • Appointed to the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee
  • Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Representative
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Improving the LADWP's quality and cost of service
  • Investing in public safety to prevent and minimize the presence of property and violent crimes
  • Influencing better Land Development Decisions to maximize ability to utilize the City of Los Angeles to decrease congestion of traffic

Rostom "Ross" Sarkissian

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Small Business Owner
  • Master in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
  • BA in Diplomacy and World Affairs, Occidental College
  • Coro Fellow in Public Affairs
  • Richter Scholar
  • Non Profit Grant Writer
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Balanced budget
  • Reduce traffic
  • Protect neighborhoods from overdevelopment

David Ryu

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community Health Director
  • Director of Development & Public Affairs, Kedren Acute Psychiatric Hospital and Community Health Center
  • Senior Deputy, County Supervisor Yvonne Burke
  • Netkal Fellow, USC School of Social Work
  • Bachelor of Arts, Economics, UCLA
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Ensure neighborhood concerns about city services and quality of life are heard and respected at City Hall.
  • Improve City-resident communications with ombudsman service, early community input on development issues.
  • Strengthen our economy by raising the minimum wage and phasing out the gross receipts tax.

Jay Beeber

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community Advocate/Businessman
  • Eliminated LA's Red Light Cameras
  • Leading Parking Reform
  • 2nd VP - Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council
  • LA Pedestrian Advisory Committee
  • Executive Director - SaferStreetsLA
  • Jay@Jay4LA.com
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Fix the City's budget. Reduce skyrocketing pension and employee benefits costs.
  • Reform DWP - workers earn 20% more than other city employees. Save on employee costs and fix failing infrastructure.
  • Currently leading reform of LA's abusive parking policies. I'll finish this.

Teddy Davis

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Attorney/Educator
  • Senior Aide to the Mayor of Los Angeles
  • Special Assistant to the Governor of California
  • Emmy Award winning ABC News journalist
  • Unruh Fellow at USC
  • J.D., The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law
  • B.S., Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Taking Care of the Basics -- Fixing Streets, Repairing Sidewalks, Trimming Trees -- through Strong Fiscal Management
  • Protecting Neighborhoods
  • Holding DWP Accountable

Tomás O'Grady

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Non-Profit Director/Entrepreneur
  • I am a father of four, and for over six years have dedicated myself to unpaid public service in our public schools and communities.
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Environmental and financial sustainability
  • Development
  • Transportation

Sheila Irani

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Businesswoman/Community Leader
  • Owner,National, Award Winning Transportation Planning and Marketing firm, 1995 to Present
  • Director of Special Projects, Councilman Tom LaBonge 2011-2013
  • Founder, Women & Words, benefiting services for high risk youth and battered women, 2004 - Present
  • Outreach Chair, Hollywood United Neighborhood Council
  • Chancellor's Scholar, UCLA, BA Economics, BA Psychology
  • Entrepreneur Winner, UCLA Anderson School, MBA
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Adopt Pension & Compensation Reform and Live within Our Means Charter
  • Demand Response Vanpools to connect commuters from home to transit
  • Limit Development to match infrastructure capacity

Tara Bannister

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Association Director/ Educator
  • BA in Political Science and Minor in Economics from USC
  • Voted AD45 Female Democrat of the Year in 1993
  • Voted LA County Democrat of the Year in 1993
  • Domestic and international advocate for HIV/AIDS
  • Founder of the Business Federation (BizFed)
  • Senior Advisor to Governor Grey Davis
Top Priorities if Elected
  • I will dramatically increase the quality and accessibility of our sidewalks in CD4 and the rest of the City.
  • I will modernize and decrease the overhead costs of City services to ensure our tax dollars are spent wisely and frugally.
  • I will fight to upgrade the Orange Bus Line to a light rail line as soon as possible. The Orange Line light rail can move twice as many people in h

Charles Craig Jackson

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

Step Jones

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Owner xoxo vapor bar
  • Step Jones bio at "linked in"
  • Step Jones is easy to "Google"
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Los Angeles city budget, Do you know how much and where your Council is spending your money?
  • Not interested in your social or moral affairs, i am interested in where our money goes.
  • Out of control pensions in the City

Wally Knox

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Attorney
  • California State Assembly
  • Trustee, Los Angeles Community College Board
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Create an enforceable legal framework for city planning and development.
  • Create a program of Continuous Improvement in City services.
  • Maintain City revenues but change from a gross receipts tax on business to a net receipts tax.

Joan Pelico

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Chief of Staff, LA City Council
  • For 9 1/2 years I have worked hand in hand with the community working for the City of Los Angeles City Council
  • District Director, LA City Council
  • Field Deputy, LA City Council
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Bringing Real Customer Service to City Hall
  • Finding Realistic Solutions to Fix Our Infrastructure
  • Bring Stakeholders Together to Address Development

Mike Schaefer

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Public Interest Advocate
  • City Prosecutor, City of San Diego
  • City Councilman, City of San Diego
  • Business degree, U.C.Berkeley
  • Juris Doctor, Georgetown Law Center
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Protecting our citizens from being abused by the bureaucracy
  • Parking: limiting street sweeping ban to one hour, not 3 hours
  • Prompt Pay 50% discount on parking fines within 1 week

Carolyn Ramsay

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Councilmember's Staff Chief
  • 15 years of experience strengthening our neighborhoods
  • Chief of Staff, Councilmember Tom LaBonge
  • Local Program Director, Trust for Public Lands
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Holding City Hall accountable to our neighborhoods
  • Fixing our streets, sidewalks, and water pipes
  • Helping local businesses succeed and creating good-paying jobs

Fred Mariscal

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Marketing Executive
  • Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, Board Member
  • Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition, Vice Chair
  • Greater Wilshire NC, Budget Rep., & Outreach Committee Chair
  • Neighborhood Watch Captain (founder)
  • USC Film School graduate, Class of '96
  • Fire Department CERT graduate
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Job Creation
  • Parking Enforcement Reform
  • Homelessness and the Protection of our Neighborhoods

City Council District 6

Cindy Montanez

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community Advocate
  • Assemblywoman (2002-2006)
  • LA City Planning Commissioner (Past)
  • Board Member, UCLA Institute of the Environment & Sustainability
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Fighting bulky item trash dumping, cleaning up our neighborhoods.
  • Fixing our broken streets and sidewalks, rebuilding our infrastructure, and creating good paying jobs.
  • Reforming the Department of Water and Power, fighting rate increases, and balancing our city budget to live within our means.

Nury Martinez

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: City Councilwoman
  • Former Executive Director of environmental justice non-profit
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Restoring quality of life for residents by cleaning up our neighborhoods, building new parks, and installing streetlights
  • Increasing the availability and access to good jobs through quality economic development
  • Eliminating prostitution and human trafficking activity in our district.

City Council District 8

Marqueece Harris-Dawson

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community Coalition Director
  • Community Organizer
  • Non-Profit Director
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Jobs and Economic Development
  • Public Safety
  • Resident Engagement

Bobbie Jean Anderson

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: California State Commissioner
  • Five-term Vice Chair, Los Angeles County Democratic Party
  • 30 years with LA County Public Defender's Office
  • Member, Democratic State Central Committee
  • Long-term SEIU 721 member andn union leader
  • Former Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women
  • Former Commissioner, Los Angeles Police Commission, Permit Review Panel.
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Cleaner, Safer, Stronger Neighborhoods
  • Public Safety and Improved LawEnforcement-Community Relations
  • Economic and Community Development, Job Creation

Robert L. Cole, Jr.

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Commissioner/Educator/Businessperson
  • Commissioner on the Citizens' Economy and Efficiency Committee
  • Small Business Owner - Ground Zero Communications
  • Juris Doctorate - American College of Law
  • Bachelor of Arts - Morehouse College
Top Priorities if Elected
  • 1) Job Creation - to increase the number of jobs including trade based and skills based opportunities.
  • 2) Economic Development - to address the limited number of economic generating resources in the district.
  • 3) Public Safety and Emergency Response Services - to create a safer and more welcoming environment for neighborhoods, schools and businesses.

Forescee Hogan-Rowles

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community Development CEO
  • Bachelor's Degree, Business Administration Loyola Marymount University
  • Master's Degree, Business Administration, Pepperdine University
  • CEO, R.I.S.E. Financial Pathways (Formerly Community Financial Resource Center)
  • Former Commissioner, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
  • Former Commissioner, California Commission for Economic Development
  • Former Member, Federal Home Loan Bank-Affordable Housing Advisory Council
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Fixing potholes, broken curbs, cleaning streets and alleyways, restoring neighborhood services
  • Create jobs, expand business opportunities, new investment in commercial corridors
  • Safer neighborhoods, push for better graduation rates and more public private partnerships

City Council District 10

Herb J. Wesson, Jr.

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Los Angeles City Councilmember
  • Lincoln University, BA
  • Councilmember's Chief/Staff
  • Supervisor's Chief/Staff
  • California State Assembly 1998-2004 (Assembly Speaker 2002-2004)
  • Los Angeles City Council 2005-Present (Council President 2012-Present)
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Raising the Minimum Wage to fight poverty and stimulate our local economy
  • Election Reform to boost citizen participation in our local elections
  • Mass Transit/Economic Development and Jobs near the Exposition Light Rail Line and Crenshaw/LAX Light Rail Line

Delaney "Doc" Smith

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Physician/Lecturer/Theologian
  • M.D. Degree Loyola Univ. Chicago
  • Residency Trained Emergency Medicine
  • Civil Surgeon For U.S. Governnment
  • Opened First Urgent Care in LA 1983
  • Former Cedars Sinai E.R. Staff Physician
  • B.S. Xavier Pharm.D. USC Pharmacy Schools
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Decrease City Business Taxes as incentive for wage increases
  • Stop Toilet to Tap system now used as drinking water in South LA and block expansion without voter appoval
  • Stop Weed Shop proliferation [now over 400 in LA] and decriminalize drug use

Melvin R. Snell

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

Grace Yoo

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community Organizer/Attorney
  • Executive Director, Korean American Coalition
  • Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
  • Vice President, Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation
  • Attorney for Children in the Dependency Court
  • J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law
  • John Marshall High / UC Riverside - Political Science
Top Priorities if Elected
  • To allocate the necessary funds to improve basic infrastructure, such as roads, sidewalks, and street lamps.
  • To foster a business friendly environment with expedited city services.
  • To improve the quality of life of the district residents; for example providing transparency to the West Adams drilling site

City Council District 12

Daniel Garcia

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Disability Right Advocate
  • Accessibility Advisory Committee for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
  • Los Angeles County Accessible Voting Advisory Committee
  • North Los Angeles County Regional Center Consumer Advisory Committee
  • Systems Change Advocate Communities Actively Living Independent and Free , Los Angeles, CA
  • EDUCATION: B.A. Educational Psychology - California State University at Northridge (CSUN)
  • Transportation System Change Advocate of the year, 2008
Top Priorities if Elected
  • An accessible and well integrated community makes a city more inclusive and more welcoming to visitors, residents, and to businesses.
  • One thing we need is a more diverse and accessible government that will meet the need of everyone.
  • We need a neighborhood council that will work with City Hall and bring to its attention the matters of job creation and accessible workplaces

Mitchell Englander

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Councilmember/Police Officer
  • City Council President Pro Tempore
  • North Valley Family YMCA Boardmember
  • Providence Holy Cross Hospital Boardmember
  • West Valley Boys and Girls Club Boardmember
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Continue to improve public safety & keep crime at record lows
  • Reducing the City's business tax & make Los Angeles more business friendly
  • Increase the quality of life for our District

City Council District 14

Mario Chavez

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

Gloria Molina

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Los Angeles County Supervisor
  • First Latina elected to State Assembly
  • First Latina elected to Los Angeles City Council
  • Elected to County Board of Supervisors in 1991; re-elected 5 times
  • Served as Vice-Chair of the Democratic National Committee
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Improved services to our neighborhoods in CD 14
  • Better fiscal discipline in the City
  • Accelerate economic development in CD 14 and in the City

José Huizar

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Los Angeles City Councilmember
  • Los Angeles City Councilmember 2005 - Present
  • Trustee, Princeton University Board of Trustees 2005-2009
  • President & Member, LAUSD School Board 2001-2005
  • J.D., UCLA School of Law
  • Masters Degree Public Affairs and Urban Planning, Princeton University
  • B.A., U.C. Berkeley
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Maintain fiscal health, while restoring neighborhood services like street/sidewalk repair and tree trimming
  • Expand on success in fostering economic development along commercial corridors through active public space & safer roads
  • Continue to protect communities against unwanted nuisance uses & polluters, maintain solid constituent service, youth programs & public safety funding

Nadine Momoyo Diaz

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Social Worker/Researcher/Health Advocate
  • University of Southern California (USC) Bachelors of Arts, Cultural Anthropology
  • USC, Master's degree, Social Work--Concentration: Community, Organization, Planning & Administration, Foundation--Clinical Practice
  • National Association of Social Workers Member
  • Los Angeles Skid Row Initiative Committee Member
  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority Review Advisory Committee Member, Elected 1995-2005
  • Community Redevelopment Agency Committee Member, Elected 1995-2005
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Increase constituent participation in all land use planning and development in the district and citywide
  • Develop and implement a transitional housing plan for the homeless population which includes job training, mental health and health services
  • Increase voter participation and implement a campaign finance reform to reduce the influence of corporations and developers on the political process

John O'Neill

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

LAUSD School Board District 1

George J. McKenna, III

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

LAUSD School Board District 3

Scott Mark Schmerelson

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Administrator/Retired Teacher
  • Spanish Teacher
  • Secondary Counselor
  • Assistant Principal
  • Principal
  • Treasurer, Cuban-American Teachers' Association
  • Executive Director of Region 16, Association of California School Administrators
Top Priorities if Elected
  • School Bond funds must be expended as the voters intended.
  • Class size is too high to ensure a quality education.
  • Fair wages and full time employment for our LAUSD employees.

Carl J. Petersen

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Businessman/Activist Parent
  • Father of five
  • Director of Logistics
  • B.S. Business Management, University of Phoenix
  • Vocational Degree, Musician's Institute (PIT)
  • Studied Computer Science at Pace University
  • Author of The Different Drummer blog
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Reduce layers of bureaucracy so that parents, teachers and staff have more say at the local level.
  • Institute real reforms to hold the Superintendent accountable.
  • Eliminate the reliance on standardized testing for evaluations that are not student related.

Elizabeth Badger Bartels

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Children's Advocate/Businesswoman
  • Masters Public Administration/ Policy
  • Bachelors of Arts - Political Science
  • LACDP Central Committee (Elected 6 terms)
  • Founder/CEO, Minority Outreach Committee, Inc.
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Investment in Early childhood Education
  • Raising Graduation Rate/Lowering Dropout Rates
  • Creating partnerships between parents, teachers, staff and LAUSD Board

Filiberto Gonzalez

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Businessman/Professor
  • City of Los Angeles North Valley Area Planning Commission, 2013-14
  • Masters in Social Work, University of Southern California
  • Bachelor of Arts, Cal State Northridge
  • LAUSD Elected Parent Representative
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Give parents real local control by breaking LAUSD into smaller school districts.
  • Class size reduction.
  • Child safety and accountability.

Ankur Patel

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Teacher/Scientist/Entrepreneur
  • B.S. UCLA (Ecology, Behavior & Evolution)
  • M.S. CSUN (Interdisciplinary)
  • Teacher in Seoul, South Korea
  • Teacher in Beijing, China
  • Neighborhood Council Treasurer (Northridge East)
  • Graduate Assistant at CSUN
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Reduce Class Size
  • Increase Transparency & Accountability
  • Increase Student, Teacher, and Parent Participation

Tamar Galatzan

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: School Boardmember/Prosecutor
  • Los Angeles Unified school board member (2007-present)
  • Deputy City Attorney/Neighborhood Prosecutor (2002-present)
  • Western States Counsel, Anti-Defamation League (1996-2002)
  • J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1994)
  • B.A. in political science, UCLA, magna cum laude (1991)
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Pass a balanced, responsible budget, and stick to it throughout the fiscal year.
  • Provide our students with high-quality teachers, materials and support so they can pass the more rigorous curriculum now required for graduation.
  • Equip our schools and teachers with the technology needed to prepare students for college and careers.

LAUSD School Board District 5

Andrew Thomas

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Educator/Parent
  • Education Consultant
  • Professor
  • Ph.D from UCLA in Urban Schooling
  • Elected Member of the Parent Advisory Committee
Top Priorities if Elected
  • School Board Transparency
  • Zero-Based Budgeting
  • Supporting Teachers

Bennett Kayser

Biographical Highlights

    Information not available

Top Priorities if Elected

    Information not available

Ref Rodriguez

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Educator
  • Founder, Partnerships to Uplift Communities Schools
  • Parish Manager St. Francis de Sales Parish
  • Lecturer, Loyola Marymount University School of Education
  • Appointee of Governor Jerry E. Brown to The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Increasing Local Control of Schools -- We need to empower principals and teachers to make the decisions that put learning first.
  • Improving Middle Schools -- Our middle schools have been neglected, and this is a critical period for action to increase graduation and college rates.
  • Ensuring Parent Engagement in Schools -- We need to remove barriers that keep parents and communities from being a part of their schools.

LAUSD School Board District 7

Richard A. Vladovic

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: School Boardmember/Educator
  • Retired School Superintendent, West Covina Unified School District
  • Retired Teacher
  • Retired School Principal
  • Graduate Professor
  • Charter Member of UTLA
  • Educational Scholar
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Continue Increasing Student Achievement
  • Introducing Innovative Solutions that Get Results
  • Providing Safe and Healthy Schools

Lydia A. Gutiérrez

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Public School Teacher
  • California State University of Dominquez Hills, M.A.
  • Pepperdine University, B.A.
  • Mathematics Leadership Institute, California Polytechnic State University
  • California State University of Long Beach, Fellow - Writing
  • Access to Science Standards & Educational Technology, California State University of Los Angeles
  • Continuing Teacher Leadership Institute, U.C.L.A.-Mathematics
Top Priorities if Elected
  • A-Achieving Academic Excellence
  • B-Building Fiscal Responsibility
  • C-Cultivating success after Graduation

Euna Anderson

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Principal/Adjunct Professor
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Revamp our budget priorities
  • Restore trust to LAUSD
  • Embrace early childhood education

LA Community College Board of Trustees Office 1

Andra Hoffman

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community College Professor
  • Master's Degree, Public Administration- Cal State University, Northridge
  • President, National Women's Political Caucus, San Fernando Valley
  • Job Placement Director, Glendale Community College
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Increase access and restore classes for all students seeking a higher education
  • Reduce fees, tuition and the total cost of higher education
  • Increase transfer rates, degree preparedness and job training

Maria "Sokie" Quintero

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community College Professor
  • Public Administration Master's degree, California State University, Los Angeles
  • Over 20 years of experience as an educator in the Eastside of Los Angeles
  • AFT Adjunct Representative to ELAC Social Science Department
  • Alma Family Services Board Member
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Ensure all colleges meet the students' needs by meeting the goals of Student Success Act.
  • Partner with adult education programs in high schools to create a pathway for student's success that will lead to careers.
  • Ensure that transfer rates improve throughout district

Mark Isler

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Teacher/Radio Host
  • California Social Studies Credential
  • California Elementary Credential
  • Masters Degree in Education
  • Teacher of the Year
  • LA County Supervisors Deputy
  • Educational Television Host
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Reversing a long decline in the quality and performance of our educational system.
  • Making sure the primary goal of our community colleges is serving the students and not special interest groups.
  • Helping our students understand what makes our founding documents and our country so exceptional.

Francesca Vega

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: College Policy Director
  • Director of Government & Community Relations at Cal State Northridge
  • Former Assistant Director of State Government Relations at UCLA
  • Board Member, Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project Inc.
  • Chair of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association Education Committee
  • Board Member, Meeting Each Need with Dignity (MEND)
  • B.A. in Government, California State University, Sacramento
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Access, affordability and completion for all LACCD students, particularly those from underserved communities.
  • Deliver a pathway to economic mobility through targeted career tech, certificate and appenticeship programs
  • Restore Long-Term Financial Investment to LAACD

LA Community College Board of Trustees Office 3

Sam Kbushyan

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: College Instructor
  • MBA, Northeastern University
  • Past Board Member, East Hollywood Neighborhood Council
  • Past Board Member, East Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
  • Past Treasurer, Northeast Democratic Club
  • Former Student President, LA Valley College
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Reforming LACCD Board with District Elections - 1 seat for each campus community.
  • Modernizing LACCD Classes to emphasize Online/Distance Learning Options for every class.
  • Restoring accountability to taxpayers with transparency on LACCD spending.

Sydney Kamlager

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Education Policy Advisor
  • District Director, Senator Holly Mitchell
  • Commissioner, LA County Commission on Children and Families
  • Fmr. Adjunct Professor, Cal State University Los Angeles
  • Masters Degree, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Bachelors Degree, USC
  • Board Member, The Unusual Suspects
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Fight for more funding to bring more classes online
  • Expand supportive services offered at the campuses
  • Quicken transfer times into 4-year institutions and strengthen career pathways

Jozef Thomas "Joe" Essavi

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Los Angeles County Commissioner/Businessperson
  • Past Controller for Non Profit Association. Community College District Student Trustee Nominee from LA Valley College
  • Community College (LAVC) ASB Union Treasurer, 2 terms
  • Neighborhood Council Member, 2 terms
  • Community College Education Reformer.
  • BA UC Riverside, MA CSUN,
  • Married and with 4 children.
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Cut the current 72% Failure in transferring and in graduation
  • Hire Quality Teachers, Offer more Classes, Slash text book costs
  • offer more vocational and green job training. bring efficiency and accountability

Glenn Bailey

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Neighborhood Council Boardmember
  • CSU Northridge Program Coordinator (24 years)
  • Pierce College ASO President
  • LA Neighborhood Council Coalition officer
  • LA City Bicycle Advisory Committee Vice-Chair
  • Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, Director/Associate Director
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Increase the number of high demand classes to meet students' needs and facilitate timely graduation, including online courses
  • Improve College District public transparency and taxpayer accountability, especially the remaining $1.6 billion in campus construction projects
  • Save the Pierce College Farm from closure

LA Community College Board of Trustees Office 5

Steve Schulte

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Environmental Science Instructor
  • Councilmember, Mayor, West Hollywood
  • Master's in Public Health, UCLA
  • MA in Public Administration, University of Iowa
  • BA in Political Science and History, Yale
  • Executive Director, LA Gay and Lesbian Center
  • Contracts Manager/Director, Strategic Planning and Analysis, Kaiser Permanente
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Work with the board to raise student performance and education outcomes.
  • Work to involve business and industry leaders to help fashion curricula to better focus on student needs for job placement after graduation.
  • In a collaborative manner, research how the LACCD Board can better monitor campus leadership and hold them accountable.

Scott Svonkin

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community College Boardmember, President
  • Past President, Los Angeles School Trustees Association
  • California Credit Union, Supervisory Committee Member
  • Chairman, Los Angeles County Insurance Commission
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Student Success - Help out students prepare for transfer and career
  • Protect Taxpayers - Insurance the bond reform continues
  • Increase number of classes offered

LA Community College Board of Trustees Office 7

Mike Fong

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Educator/Job Trainer
  • Chair, PBS SoCal API Community Council
  • Vice Chair, White Memorial Medical Center Community Leadership Council
  • Workforce Development Program Analyst
  • Past Board Member, UCLA Alumni Association
  • UCLA Government & Community Relations - Bruin Caucus Council Member
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Improve and Expand workforce education and training opportunities
  • Improving the quality and access to educational opportunities
  • Creating jobs

John C. Burke

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Community College Faculty; Associate Dean
  • BA ; MA American History CSUN
  • MBA Accounting/Marketing UCLA
  • California Community College & Secondary Teaching Credentials USC
  • Los Solteros President; Boy's Republic Board of Directors
  • Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities
  • Los Angeles City Council Ephebian & Outstanding Community Service Awards; LACCD Excellence in Workforce Development Award; LAVC Apple Award
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Replace third week census enrollment State funding formula with a student success class completion rate system.
  • Replace culture of competition with one of collaboration within the District.
  • Expand School to Career Academies from five District colleges to all nine colleges: see johncburke.org 26 academies 2000 LAUSD students to date.

Joyce Burrell Garcia

Biographical Highlights
  • Occupation: Educator
  • Professor, the Peoples Republic of China
  • Policy Analyst - Charles Drew Postgraduate Medical School
  • Compliance Policy Advisor - L.A. Care Health Care
  • M.S., UCLA
Top Priorities if Elected
  • Ensure inclusivity and equity within the LACCD in the face of shrinking budgets.
  • Increase student success rates for all students with particular emphasis on historically underrepresented students.
  • Expand the number and types of community partnerships within the LACCD.

LA City Ballot Measures

Charter Amendment 1

New City Election Dates and Schedules; One-Time Adjustment to Align Terms With New Election Dates by 2020

Charter Amendment - Majority Approval Required

Shall the City Charter be amended to: 1) change the City's primary and general election dates to June and November of even-numbered years beginning in 2020 so that City elections are held on the same dates as Federal and State elections; 2) provide that, in 2015 and 2017 only, candidates be elected for a term of 5/12 years to transition to the new election dates; 3) adjust vacancy election schedules and allow temporary appointments to fill vacant offices until an election is held; 4) enable initiative and referendum elections to be scheduled at either the next City or next State election; and 5) allow initiative proponents to withdraw their measure prior to scheduling an election?

Charter Amendment 2

New Election Dates and Schedules for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); One-Time Adjustment to Align Terms With New Election Dates By 2020

Charter Amendment - Majority Approval Required

Shall the City Charter be amended to: 1) change the City's primary and general election dates to June and November of even-numbered years beginning in 2020 so that City elections are held on the same dates as Federal and State elections; 2) provide that, in 2015 and 2017 only, candidates be elected for a term of 51A years to transition to the new election dates; 3) adjust vacancy election schedules and allow temporary appointments to fill vacant offices until an election is held; 4) enable initiative and referendum elections to be scheduled at either the next City or next State election; and 5) allow initiative proponents to withdraw their measure prior to scheduling an election?

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