PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPANTS

Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of , Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is a leading expert on public opinion and survey methodology, and has directed a leading expert on public opinion and survey methodology, and has directed the PPIC Statewide Survey since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter the PPIC Statewide Survey since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter behavior, and political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous behavior, and political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous reports on these topics. He often provides testimony before legislative commit- reports on these topics. He often provides testimony before legislative commit- tees and state commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s Speaker Series, a public tees and state commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s Speaker Series, a public forum featuring in-depth interviews with state and national leaders. Previously, forum featuring in-depth interviews with state and national leaders. Previously, he served as PPIC’s director of research. Before joining PPIC, he was a professor he served as PPIC’s director of research. Before joining PPIC, he was a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of California, Irvine, where he of urban and regional planning at the University of California, Irvine, where he held the Johnson Chair in Civic Governance. He has conducted surveys for the held the Johnson Chair in Civic Governance. He has conducted surveys for the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Business Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Business Roundtable. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of California, Roundtable. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley. Patricia Bates is Republican leader of the . Since 2014, Patricia Bates is Republican leader of the California State Senate. Since 2014, she has represented the 36th senate district, which includes nearly 1 million she has represented the 36th senate district, which includes nearly 1 million people living in southern Orange and northern San Diego Counties. She is people living in southern Orange and northern San Diego Counties. She is the second woman—Democrat or Republican—to lead a party caucus in the the second woman—Democrat or Republican—to lead a party caucus in the senate’s history. She began her career as a Los Angeles County social worker senate’s history. She began her career as a Los Angeles County social worker and later became the driving force behind Laguna Niguel’s campaign for city- and later became the driving force behind Laguna Niguel’s campaign for city- hood. She became Laguna Niguel’s first mayor upon the city’s incorporation hood. She became Laguna Niguel’s first mayor upon the city’s incorporation in 1989. She served four terms as mayor and then continued serving as a city in 1989. She served four terms as mayor and then continued serving as a city council member until her election in 1998 to the state assembly, where she council member until her election in 1998 to the state assembly, where she served three terms. In 2006, she was elected to the Orange County Board served three terms. In 2006, she was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, serving two terms. She is a proud native of southern California, of Supervisors, serving two terms. She is a proud native of southern California, growing up in Long Beach and moving to southern Orange County four growing up in Long Beach and moving to southern Orange County four decades ago. decades ago. Kevin de León is president pro tem of the California State Senate, the first Latino Kevin de León is president pro tem of the California State Senate, the first Latino elected to this position in more than a century. In his three years leading the elected to this position in more than a century. In his three years leading the senate, his agenda has focused on maintaining California’s global leadership senate, his agenda has focused on maintaining California’s global leadership role in fighting climate change and building a clean-energy economy; rebuilding role in fighting climate change and building a clean-energy economy; rebuilding the state’s infrastructure; improving public education; ensuring work-place and the state’s infrastructure; improving public education; ensuring work-place and health-care equity for women, immigrants, and low-wage workers; and enhancing health-care equity for women, immigrants, and low-wage workers; and enhancing public safety. His legislation has created the most ambitious renewable energy public safety. His legislation has created the most ambitious renewable energy goals in the nation and the first-of-its-kind retirement-savings program for goals in the nation and the first-of-its-kind retirement-savings program for low-income workers; it has also required that a quarter of all cap-and-trade low-income workers; it has also required that a quarter of all cap-and-trade revenue be spent in disadvantaged communities. He has an extensive record revenue be spent in disadvantaged communities. He has an extensive record on women’s rights, gun-violence prevention, and worker’s rights. He has also on women’s rights, gun-violence prevention, and worker’s rights. He has also worked to create solutions to address the state’s transpor­tation, housing, and worked to create solutions to address the state’s transpor­tation, housing, and infrastructure challenges. He attended the University of California, Santa infrastructure challenges. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, and graduated from Pitzer College. Barbara, and graduated from Pitzer College. Donna Lucas is founder and CEO of Lucas Public Affairs, a California-based Donna Lucas is founder and CEO of Lucas Public Affairs, a California-based strategic consulting, public affairs, and communications firm. She has served on strategic consulting, public affairs, and communications firm. She has served on the PPIC Statewide Survey Advisory Committee since 1998 and on PPIC’s board the PPIC Statewide Survey Advisory Committee since 1998 and on PPIC’s board of directors since 2007; she chaired the board from 2013 to 2016. Over the of directors since 2007; she chaired the board from 2013 to 2016. Over the course of her career, she has provided strategic counsel to large corporate course of her career, she has provided strategic counsel to large corporate clients, labor unions, nonprofits, and political candidates. She also has worked clients, labor unions, nonprofits, and political candidates. She also has worked on several statewide initiative campaigns on a variety of policy issues, including on several statewide initiative campaigns on a variety of policy issues, including gaming, housing, education, local government, campaign finance, and energy. gaming, housing, education, local government, campaign finance, and energy. Prior to forming Lucas Public Affairs in 2006, she served as a deputy chief of Prior to forming Lucas Public Affairs in 2006, she served as a deputy chief of staff for strategic planning and initiatives for Governor Schwarzenegger and staff for strategic planning and initiatives for Governor Schwarzenegger and chief of staff to First Lady Maria Shriver. Previously, she was the global and chief of staff to First Lady Maria Shriver. Previously, she was the global and public affairs practice leader for Porter Novelli and CEO of the Nelson Communi- public affairs practice leader for Porter Novelli and CEO of the Nelson Communi- cations Group, a California public affairs agency acquired by Porter Novelli in cations Group, a California public affairs agency acquired by Porter Novelli in 2000. She also served as deputy press secretary for Governor George Deuk­ 2000. She also served as deputy press secretary for Governor George Deuk­ mejian, deputy treasurer for Tom Hayes, and California press secretary for mejian, deputy treasurer for Tom Hayes, and California press secretary for President George H. W. Bush. In addition, she was the chairperson of the President George H. W. Bush. In addition, she was the chairperson of the American Association of Political Consultants. Currently, she serves on the American Association of Political Consultants. Currently, she serves on the boards of the California Chamber of Commerce, the College Futures Foun­ boards of the California Chamber of Commerce, the College Futures Foun­ dation, Maria Shriver’s A Woman’s Nation Foundation and the Scripps Institute dation, Maria Shriver’s A Woman’s Nation Foundation and the Scripps Institute of Ocean­ography. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s of Ocean­ography. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Journalism. School of Journalism. Anthony Rendon was sworn in as the 70th speaker of the California State Anthony Rendon was sworn in as the 70th speaker of the California State Assembly in 2016. He represents the 63rd assembly district, which includes Assembly in 2016. He represents the 63rd assembly district, which includes the cities of Bell, Cudahy, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Lynwood, Maywood, the cities of Bell, Cudahy, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Lynwood, Maywood, Paramount, and South Gate, as well as a northern portion of Long Beach. In Paramount, and South Gate, as well as a northern portion of Long Beach. In 2017, he led a progressive and productive legislative session—a year in which 2017, he led a progressive and productive legislative session—a year in which the assembly passed a landmark $52 billion transportation funding plan, an the assembly passed a landmark $52 billion transportation funding plan, an extension of California’s cap-and-trade program, a first-of-its-kind clean air extension of California’s cap-and-trade program, a first-of-its-kind clean air measure, and legislation to address the affordable housing crisis. The 2017 measure, and legislation to address the affordable housing crisis. The 2017 state budget included expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and child care state budget included expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and child care eligibility, record investment in education, and reforms to the Board of Equaliza- eligibility, record investment in education, and reforms to the Board of Equaliza- tion and the University of California. Prior to serving in the assembly, he was an tion and the University of California. Prior to serving in the assembly, he was an educator, nonprofit executive director, and environmental activist. He attended educator, nonprofit executive director, and environmental activist. He attended Cerritos Community College and California State University, Fullerton, and Cerritos Community College and California State University, Fullerton, and earned a PhD from the University of California, Riverside. earned a PhD from the University of California, Riverside.