Seeking re-election to County Central Committee. President, Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains. Worked for more than a decade to advance progressive issues within the Democratic Party and was elected in 2016. Dorothy opposed fracking before most people even knew it existed. She supports Medicare For All and ending our never-ending wars. Healthcare Not Warfare!

Democratic Party County Central Committee - Member, Assembly District 50
Member, Assembly District 50 — Democratic Party County Central Committee
Get the facts on the California candidates running for election to the Member, Assembly District 50 — Democratic Party County Central Committee
Find out their top 3 priorities, their experience, and who supports them.
About this office
Candidates
Dorothy Reik
- Medicare for All - health care is a human right
- Climate crisis - we must preserve the ability for...
- Ending poverty and homelessness - it is unacceptable...
Paul Koretz
- Continue battling climate change by having Los Angeles...
- Fight for common sense gun control as I have for the...
- Fight to reduce homelessness especially by promoting...
Eddie Mendoza
- Decarbonization of our local and state power grid.
- Advocating for renters rights' and the production...
- Moving towards a single-payer health care system.
Alison Rebecca Stern-Simard
- Fight climate change through holistic environmental...
- Ensure equal access to better & more affordable healthcare...
- Increase equal opportunities for excellent education...
Nick Greif
- Build more affordable housing by changing City and...
- Fund more services for individuals experiencing homelessness...
- Expand rent protections to protect vulnerable tenants...
Deana M. Igelsrud
- Issues: Ending Poverty & Homelessness, Fighting for...
- Making sure the County Central Committee advocates...
- Helping to build bridges and open up the political...
Susan D. Sheu
- Energize local politics with grassroots energy and...
- Increase the engagement of young and new voters and...
- Build a strong bench of progressive candidates for...
Ilissa B. Gold
- Advocating for more housing and transit
- Bringing more women and young people into party leadership
- Increasing transparency in the Democratic Party
Mark R. Edwards
- Ending Homelessness to functional zero
- Housing opportunities for all: housing is a right
- Transparency, Accountability, Inclusivity and Equity...
Mike Soloff
- Prevent resident displacement, including through strong...
- Expand Party support for local Democrats' efforts...
- Mobilize local, State, federal and private sector...
Encourage this candidate to share their information on Voter's Edge.
Rachel Pearl Bracker
- Solve the housing and homelessness crises
- Fight climate change
- Support fellow LGBTQ Young Women
Murtaza Mogri
- Make flipping seats across the country a priority...
- Drive the party to develop coalitions with partner...
- Ensure that the County Party advocates for a progressive...
Steve Bott
- Supporting -- and advocating for -- legislation, ballot...
- Building a more welcoming County Democratic Party...
- Building a culture of transparency and accountability...
My Top 3 Priorities
- Medicare for All - health care is a human right
- Climate crisis - we must preserve the ability for all to live on our planet
- Ending poverty and homelessness - it is unacceptable that we have poverty and homelessness in the richest country in the world
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Biography
Who supports this candidate?
Featured Endorsements
- Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Monica Democratic Club, Americans for Democratic Action
Elected Officials (1)
- Congressman Ted Lieu, State Senator Henry Stern, State Senator Ben Allen
Individuals (1)
- Kevin De Leon, former President Pro Tem of the California Senate,Susie Shannon, DNC member; Jodie Evans, CODEPINK
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Continue battling climate change by having Los Angeles take dramatic progressive steps forward that hopefully cities across the country and around the world will emulate, such as having created the world's first Climate Emergency Mobilization office.
- Fight for common sense gun control as I have for the past 45 years, so that children don't have to fear assault weapon attacks as part of their school experience, and congregants can safely attend their religious institutions..
- Fight to reduce homelessness especially by promoting eviction defense and affordable housing production while taking steps to slow the increasing number of newly homeless residents.
Experience
Biography
- Aide to LA Councilmember Marvin Braude in 1984.
- Aide to West Hollywood Councilmember Alan Viterbi, 1985-1988.
- Councilmember/Mayor City of West Hollywood, 1988-2000.
- Member California State Assembly, 2000-2006.
- Member Los Angeles City Council, Fifth District, 2009-present.
Longtime member, LA County Democratic Central Committee.
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
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Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Decarbonization of our local and state power grid.
- Advocating for renters rights' and the production of affordable housing.
- Moving towards a single-payer health care system.
Experience
Experience
Biography
As a former Consultant and Legislative Aide in the California State Assembly and California State Senate, I've worked to build coaltions for the passage of some of the most consequential environmental legislation in the country including Senate Bill 100 codifying a mandated transition to 100% renewable energy production by 2045 and Senate Bill 185 ordering the public divestiture of thermal coal companies.
Working with regulatory agencies and school districts, I recently helped implement a clean air curriculum across the Southern California Air Basin with the aim of educating students in enviromental justice communities about the effects of particulate matter and how to best advocate for cleaner air in their neighborhoods.
Although much work has been done, there is still so much left to do to reduce our carbon footprint and move towards a sustainable model of energy production with Los Angeles' increasing power demands.
As a native of Hollywood, and a lifelong resident of the 50th Assembly District, I believe that local government works best when we hold our leaders accountable.
Who supports this candidate?
Organizations (4)
- Santa Monica Democratic Club (SMDC)
- Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains (PDSMM)
- Southern California Americans For Democratic Action (www.ADASoCal.org)
- Beverly Wilshire Homes Association (www.BeverlyWilshireHomes.com)
Elected Officials (1)
- Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Kevin de Leon
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
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Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Fight climate change through holistic environmental conservation including wildlife, open space & park protections.
- Ensure equal access to better & more affordable healthcare for women, children and elderly including mental health and special needs care.
- Increase equal opportunities for excellent education access, along with workplace equality providing further education and fair workplace opportunities for all.
Experience
Biography
Alison Rebecca Stern-Simard was elected 2019 LA County Democrat Woman of the Year for the 50th Assembly District, and serves an alternate for the LA County Democrat Party as well as a delegate for the CA State Democrat Party.
She currently serves as Communications Director for City Councilmember Paul Koretz representing Los Angeles' Fifth District. In addition to her title role, she works closely with senior legislative staff advising on environmental issues with a particular focus on Los Angeles biodiversity and wildlife habitat conservation as well as animal rights and animal welfare issues. She is leading the Councilmember's legislative team to implement a wildlife habitat connectivity ordinance in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Alison is a co-founder of the non-profit environmental organization Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (CLAW) and serves as a voting board member/ co-director of the organization.
Alison is also a charter member of LA County Democrats for Protection of Animals Club. She has also served as a board member and advisor on the Laurel Canyon Association that she proudly represented as a voting member of the Hillside Federation.
Who supports this candidate?
Elected Officials (3)
- Senator Ben Allen
- Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz
- Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
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Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Build more affordable housing by changing City and State laws.
- Fund more services for individuals experiencing homelessness and clear red tape slowing homeless housing creation.
- Expand rent protections to protect vulnerable tenants and prevent gentrification.
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Biography
Nick Greif has been working for the past six years as a progressive Democratic leader in Los Angeles as the current Chief of Staff to Democratic City Councilmember David Ryu where he has led on building homeless housing (including the LGBT Center in Hollywood), improving education (Child Savings Accounts for all LAUSD students), and expunging prior misdemeanor convictions for street vendors to prevent deportations. Previously, Nick worked with LA Mayor Eric Garcetti to successfully raise the Minimum Wage to $15/hr. In his local community, Nick served as the President of the Palms Neighborhood Council and as a board member of the LA County Young Democrats (LACYD). Nick is also a member of the following Democratic Clubs: Stonewall, West LA, Heart of LA, AD 54, Westside Young Democrats, and Democrats for Neighborhood Action.
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
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Videos (1)
Testimony on the benefits of increasing the minimum wage in Los Angeles to the LA County Board of Supervisors.
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Issues: Ending Poverty & Homelessness, Fighting for Affordable Housing/Rent Control, Tackling Climate Change, Workers' Rights, Medicare For All, Criminal Justice Reform, Gender & LGBTQIA Equality and Pushing for Clean Money & Fair Elections policies.
- Making sure the County Central Committee advocates and espouses for the issues above and its progressive values.
- Helping to build bridges and open up the political process between citizens and their government, increasing civic participation.
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Biography
Seeking re-election to the County Central Committee, where she serves as Co-Chair for the Legislative Action Committee. Legislation she has advocated for within the Party includes: Ending Poverty & Homelessness, Supporting Affordable Housing/Rent Control, Medicare For All, Tackling Climate Change, the Green New Deal, Banning Fracking, Promoting Workers' Rights, Increasing the Minimum Wage, Ending Cash Bail, Criminal Justice Reform, Supporting Gender & LGBTQIA Equality, Making Higher Education Affordable, and Clean Money & Fair Elections policies.
I have pushed for change not only at the local level, but at the state Party level as well. I helped co-author the California Democratic Party's (CDP's) "long overdue" policy for vetting legislation and was successful in getting the CDP to permanently adopt the practice, helping to permanently enshrine this tool for activists and legislators to work together on important issues facing Californians. In addition, on my own dime, I train Democratic Clubs and activists how to track and advocate for the legislation and issues they care about. It's really about promoting civic engagement at all levels for me.
Working as a Community Organizer, I have used my background to bring people together (citizens & labor) to work in a variety of ways. Together we have formed campaigns, testified at hearings, passed resolutions and helped shape policy. I'm proud to say that being part of the County Central Committee (aka - the Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACDP)) for the last thirteen years, I've worked hard to make sure we have both advocated for and supported our progressive values. When voting in the March 3rd Primary for the seven Democrats to represent you at the LACDP, please let one of those votes be for me Deana Igelsrud. Thank you so much!
Who supports this candidate?
Featured Endorsements
- Ben Allen, CA State Senator (District 26)
- Santa Monica Democratic Club (SMDC)
- Susie Shannon, Executive Director, Poverty Matters
Organizations (5)
- Beverly Wilshire Homes Association (www.BeverlyWilshireHomes.com)
- Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains (PDSMM)
- Santa Monica Democratic Club (SMDC)
- Southern California Americans For Democratic Action (www.ADASoCal.org)
- West Hollywood / Beverly Hills Democratic Club (WHBHDC)
Elected Officials (8)
- Ben Allen, CA State Senator (District 26)
- Holly J. Mitchell, CA State Senator (District 30)
- Kevin DeLeon, Former, CA State Senate Pro Tem
- Kevin McKeown, Mayor, City of Santa Monica
- Sue Himmelrich, Santa Monica City Councilmember
- Ted Winterer, Santa Monica City Councilmember
- Mike Bonin, Los Angeles City Councilmember (District 12)
- Paul Koretz, Los Angeles City Councilmember (District 5)
Individuals (7)
- Cara Robin, President, West LA Democratic Club
- Diana Plotkin, President, Beverly Wilshire Homes Association
- Jon Katz, President, Santa Monica Democratic Club
- Larry Gross, Executive Director, Coalition for Economic Survival
- Mike Soloff, Co-Chair, Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights
- Susan B. Haskell, VP Political Issues, Pacific Palisades Democratic Club
- Susie Shannon, Executive Director, Poverty Matters
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
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Political Beliefs
Political Philosophy
I believe in getting things done, not just talking about it. Please take a moment to look at the "Position Papers" section of this page where you can review some of my organizing highlights and the work that I have done over the past thirteen years to open up the political process and build bridges between our government and us.
Position Papers
Community Organizing / Issues / Party Organizing Highlights
"I'm proud to say that being part of the County Central Committee (aka - the Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACDP)) for the last thirteen years, I've worked hard to make sure we have both advocated for and supported our progressive values. Please take a moment to look over some of my organizing highlights from the past thirteen years representing you below. When voting on March 3rd for the seven Democrats to represent you at the LACDP; please vote to Re-Elect me." - Deana Igelsrud
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING / ISSUES:
Working as a Community Organizer, I have used my background to bring people together (citizens & labor) to work in a variety of ways. Together we have formed campaigns, testified at hearings, passed resolutions and helped shape policies around the issues of: Ending Poverty & Homelessness, Supporting Affordable Housing/Rent Control, Medicare For All, Tackling Climate Change, the Green New Deal, Banning Fracking, Promoting Workers' Rights, Increasing the Minimum Wage, Ending Cash Bail, Criminal Justice Reform, Supporting Gender & LGBTQIA Equality, Animal Rights, Making Higher Education Affordable, and Clean Money & Fair Elections policies.
I have worked to fix California's budget crisis. I served as the Political Director of Californians For Democracy, and worked directly with Professor George Lakoff to organize and run the campaign to pass our state budget with a simple majority. In addition, I have helped organize several events, election headquarters and "in-depth" trainings on ballot initiatives.
PARTY ORGANIZING HIGHLIGHTS:
For the last thirteen years, I have pushed for change not only outside the Democratic Party, but inside the party as well.
I have authored and/or co-sponsored a number of state party resolutions including: Opposing the $700 Billion Dollar Bank Bailout, Supporting the Repeal of Prop. 8, and calling for an Immediate End to the War in Afghanistan. I've even mounted and won a floor fight at the California Democratic Party's Executive Board that called on "candidates to not concede elections in close races until all the votes have been counted."
Similarly, when "elimination of poverty" was left out of the state party's platform in 2005; I gained support for the effort by speaking before the African American, Women's, Children's, Disabilities, Progressive and Rural Caucuses at the State Party's annual convention, and garnered support from both candidates for governor (at the time) Phil Angelides and Steve Westly, to successfully get it added as its own plank in our platform.
In 2007, I was elected to serve on the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party (CDP) and was appointed to its Legislative Action Committee. There I helped co-author the state party's "long overdue" policy for vetting legislation.
From 2008-2010, I not only pushed to get the policy to vett legislation passed, I was successful in getting the CDP to permanently adopt the practice, helping to permanently enshrine this tool for activists and legislators to work together on important issues facing Californians. For the first time in more than a decade, the state party had the ability to take positions on important pieces of state and national legislation; including support for H.R. 676 (The United Stated National Health Insurance Act) which would provide affordable national health insurance to all Americans.
In September of 2010, I was appointed to serve as the Legislative Co-Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee (LACDP). Since taking on that post we have brought many important pieces of legislation, not only to the state party for additional support, but also to the voters to explain what the bills are in "plain language," as opposed to pages and pages of legalese. Some of the bills I'm most proud of personally bringing before the committee include: support for H.R. 2867 (The Voting Rights Advancement Act) which is backed by Rep. John Lewis and seeks to remedy the portion of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 that was gutted by the United States Supreme Court in 2013, support for S. 1709 (The 21st Century Glass-Stegall Act of 2015) from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and opposition to H.R. 1890 (Trans-Pacific Partership (TPP)).
In 2016, I developed a program to train Democratic Clubs and activists to track and advocate for the legislation and issues they care about. It's really about promoting civic engagement at all levels for me. I work incedibly hard for the voters of our district and would love to continue to represent you on the Los Angeles County Democratic party (LACDP).
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Energize local politics with grassroots energy and bring diversity of experience to the Democratic Party
- Increase the engagement of young and new voters and activists in electoral victories
- Build a strong bench of progressive candidates for leadership roles in California and across the country
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Advocating for more housing and transit
- Bringing more women and young people into party leadership
- Increasing transparency in the Democratic Party
Experience
Experience
Education
Who supports this candidate?
Organizations (2)
- Miracle Mile Democratic Club
- West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club
Elected Officials (2)
- Congressman Ted Lieu
- Assemblymember Richard Bloom
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Ending Homelessness to functional zero
- Housing opportunities for all: housing is a right
- Transparency, Accountability, Inclusivity and Equity of Opportunity for Leadership
Experience
Experience
Education
Who supports this candidate?
Featured Endorsements
- West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Prevent resident displacement, including through strong tenant protections for all and rent subsidies for low income seniors.
- Expand Party support for local Democrats' efforts to dump Trump, turn the U.S. Senate Blue, and elect Democrats nationwide.
- Mobilize local, State, federal and private sector resources to create more true affordable housing more cost-effectively.,
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Who supports this candidate?
Featured Endorsements
- Congressman Ted Lieu
- State Senator Ben Allen
- Santa Monica Democratic Club
Organizations (2)
- Southern California Americans For Democratic Action
- Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains
Elected Officials (6)
- Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Koretz
- Santa Monica City Council Member Ted Winterrer
- Congresswoman Nanette Barragan
- S.F. Supervisor Dean Preston (founder of Tenants Together)
- Santa Monica City Council Member Sue Himmelrich
- Santa Monica Mayor and City Council Member Kevin McKeown
Individuals (2)
- Larry Gross (head of Coalition for Economic Survival / CA Dem Party Regional 12 Director)
- Denny Zane (founder and Co-Chair of Santa Monicans for Renters Rights, Executive Director of Move LA)
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Solve the housing and homelessness crises
- Fight climate change
- Support fellow LGBTQ Young Women
Experience
Experience
Education
Who supports this candidate?
Featured Endorsements
- West Hollywood Beverly Hills Democratic Club
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
More information about contributions
Candidate Contact Info
My Top 3 Priorities
- Make flipping seats across the country a priority for the County and State party. Our progressive agenda will be stalled (if not moved backwards) if we don't focus nationally!
- Drive the party to develop coalitions with partner organizations, like Indivisible, and ensure support for local activists, while leveraging party resources to activate local Democrats.
- Ensure that the County Party advocates for a progressive agenda -- from healthcare to poverty, homelessness, criminal justice, GREEN policies, the environment, access to education, workforce housing, social justice and much more!
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Who supports this candidate?
Organizations (2)
- Santa Monica Democratic Club
- Miracle Mile Democratic Club
Elected Officials (3)
- Ruth Luevanos (first Latina Democrat on Simi Valley City Council)
- Chris Anstead (City Council, Agoura Hills)
- Deborah Klein Lopez (City Council, Agoura Hills)
Individuals (2)
- Tiffany Lewis (Chair, Ventura County Democratic Party)
- Ryan Valencia (immediate past Chair, Ventura County Democratic Party)
Who gave money to this candidate?
Contributions
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My Top 3 Priorities
- Supporting -- and advocating for -- legislation, ballot measures, and candidates that will help advance the fight against homelessness.
- Building a more welcoming County Democratic Party that values new energy from young people, minorities, and grassroots activists from varying backgrounds.
- Building a culture of transparency and accountability within the County Democratic Party.
Who supports this candidate?
Organizations (3)
- Action Democrats of the San Fernando Valley
- West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club
- Miracle Mile Democratic Club