PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPANTS Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller of California, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is a leading expert on public opinion and Chair in Public Policy. He is a leading expert on public opinion and survey methodology, and has directed the PPIC Statewide Survey survey methodology, and has directed the PPIC Statewide Survey since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter behavior, and since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter behavior, and political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous reports on these topics. He often provides testimony before legisla- reports on these topics. He often provides testimony before legisla- tive committees and state commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s tive committees and state commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s Speaker Series, a public forum featuring in-depth interviews with Speaker Series, a public forum featuring in-depth interviews with state and national leaders. He has conducted surveys for the state and national leaders. He has conducted surveys for the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Business Roundtable. He holds a PhD in sociology from the Business Roundtable. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. University of California, Berkeley. Rusty Hicks is chair of the California Democratic Party. He was Rusty Hicks is chair of the California Democratic Party. He was a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee delegate for over a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee delegate for over 12 years. Previously, as president of the LA County Federation of 12 years. Previously, as president of the LA County Federation of Labor, his initiatives included increasing diversity in the union; Labor, his initiatives included increasing diversity in the union; fighting for a $15 minimum wage, greater protections against sexual fighting for a $15 minimum wage, greater protections against sexual harassment and assault, and safe and clean water in Los Angeles; harassment and assault, and safe and clean water in Los Angeles; and driving ballot measures to build affordable housing, provide and driving ballot measures to build affordable housing, provide homeless housing and services, and expand the LA transit system. homeless housing and services, and expand the LA transit system. He was the LA Fed’s political director for 10 years, leading political He was the LA Fed’s political director for 10 years, leading political operations across Southern California. He also served as the operations across Southern California. He also served as the California political director of the 2008 Obama campaign. Early in his California political director of the 2008 Obama campaign. Early in his career, he worked for the late Assemblymember Mike Gordon and career, he worked for the late Assemblymember Mike Gordon and then-Assemblymember Ted Lieu. He is a lieutenant in the US Navy then-Assemblymember Ted Lieu. He is a lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve and a graduate of Austin College and Loyola Law School. Reserve and a graduate of Austin College and Loyola Law School. Tamara Keith is a White House correspondent for National Public Tamara Keith is a White House correspondent for National Public Radio and cohost of the NPR Politics Podcast. She also appears on Radio and cohost of the NPR Politics Podcast. She also appears on the weekly Politics Monday segment of PBS NewsHour. In 2018, she the weekly Politics Monday segment of PBS NewsHour. In 2018, she was elected to serve on the board of the White House Correspon- was elected to serve on the board of the White House Correspon- dents' Association. She previously covered Congress and business dents' Association. She previously covered Congress and business for NPR, with an emphasis on House Republicans, the budget, taxes, for NPR, with an emphasis on House Republicans, the budget, taxes, and fiscal issues. Before that, she covered California politics and and fiscal issues. Before that, she covered California politics and policy for member stations KQED and KPCC. She holds a master’s in policy for member stations KQED and KPCC. She holds a master’s in journalism from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University journalism from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. of California, Berkeley. Marisa Lagos is a correspondent for KQED’s California politics and Marisa Lagos is a correspondent for KQED’s California politics and government desk and cohosts a weekly show and podcast, Political government desk and cohosts a weekly show and podcast, Political Breakdown, that offers a peek into the lives and personalities of Breakdown, that offers a peek into the lives and personalities of those driving politics in California and beyond. At KQED, she those driving politics in California and beyond. At KQED, she conducts reporting, analysis, and investigations into state, local, conducts reporting, analysis, and investigations into state, local, and national politics for radio, TV, and the internet. Previously, she and national politics for radio, TV, and the internet. Previously, she worked for nine years at the San Francisco Chronicle, the San worked for nine years at the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, and the Los Angeles Times. She was nominated Francisco Examiner, and the Los Angeles Times. She was nominated for a Peabody and won several other awards for her work investi- for a Peabody and won several other awards for her work investi- gating the 2017 wildfires. gating the 2017 wildfires. Jessica Patterson is chair of the California Republican Party, the first Jessica Patterson is chair of the California Republican Party, the first woman and Latina to serve in this role. She has served the California woman and Latina to serve in this role. She has served the California Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, and state- Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, and state- wide and national candidates for nearly two decades, including wide and national candidates for nearly two decades, including leadership positions for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor leadership positions for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Senator John McCain. Previously, she was Rudy Giuliani, and Senator John McCain. Previously, she was CEO and cofounder of California Trailblazers, an organization that CEO and cofounder of California Trailblazers, an organization that recruits, trains, and helps elect Republican candidates to state recruits, trains, and helps elect Republican candidates to state legislative offices. Trailblazers has helped facilitate over $6 million in legislative offices. Trailblazers has helped facilitate over $6 million in independent expenditures to more than 160 candidates. She serves independent expenditures to more than 160 candidates. She serves on the board of directors for the Marian Bergeson Series, a training on the board of directors for the Marian Bergeson Series, a training program designed to recruit and train the next generation of Repub- program designed to recruit and train the next generation of Repub- lican women in California politics. lican women in California politics. .