ROSENDAHL TO HOLD OPEN HOUSES AT DISTRICT OFFICES
Councilman Unveils Diverse Staff, Announces Ethics Policy

LOS ANGELES - CIty Councilman Bill Rosendahl announced today he would hold two "Open House" meetings at his field offices, and unveiled a diverse roster of seasoned and talented staff members to serve the residents of the 11th District.

Rosendahl, who took office July 1, said he and his staff would welcome all constituents at the two open houses, one in Westchester, and one in West LA.

The West LA Open House will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday July 19 at his West Los Angeles Field Office, 1645 Corinth Avenue.   The Westchester Open House will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday July 28 at his Westchester Field Office, 7166 W. Manchester Avenue.  Free parking is available at both locations.

Rosendahl's 20-member staff is a diverse group that includes City Hall veterans, community activists, business people, retired city employees, and a former LAPD officer.  The staff, which draws heavily from residents of the 11th District, is diverse in background and ethnicity, and ranges in age from 25 to 77.

“I am happy that my staff is as diverse, creative and as energetic as my constituency,” Rosendahl said.  “They will set a new standard for constituent service and for moving our neighborhoods in a positive direction.  They each understand my mantra:  People come first.”

Rosendahl also announced an office ethics policy stricter than city guidelines.   His policy forbids the receipt of all gifts and meals from lobbyists, city contractors, and constituents.  City policy permits limited meals and certain gifts, as long as elected officials and their employees make proper declarations with the City Ethics Commission.

“I have an amazing staff of talented, energetic and brilliant people,” Rosendahl said.  “I want them to be above reproach and this policy will insure that there is not an event an appearance if impropriety.”

Rosendahl’s staff members are:

Chief of Staff – Mike Bonin
A Venice resident, Bonin managed Rosendahl’s campaign.  He has served as deputy chief of staff and district director to U.S. Rep Jane Harman, and worked for seven years for former Councilwoman Ruth Galanter.

Executive Assistant - Margaret Hasheminejad
Hasheminejad has worked with Rosendahl since 1995. When Rosendahl worked in the cable industry, Hasheminejad produced the bulk of Rosendahl’s programming.  She also served as his chief executive assistant when he held managerial roles in the cable business.

District Director & Senior Counsel – Norman Kulla
A resident of and widely respected community leader in Pacific Palisades, Kulla is chair emeritus of the Pacific Palisades Community Council.  He has also served as a criminal attorney, a tax attorney, and an investment advisor.

Legislative & Communications Deputy – Safiya Jones
A Westchester resident, Jones served as field deputy and senior advisor to former 11th District candidate Angela Reddock.  She has a background in marketing and working with community-based non-profit agencies.

Planning Deputy – Grieg Asher
A former Mar Vista resident, Asher served several years as planning deputy to Councilwoman Janice Hahn.  A creative planner skilled at protecting neighborhood interests, Asher shares Rosendahl’s commitment to protecting the environment and promoting mass transit.

Legislative Deputy – Phil Tate
A Brentwood resident who heads a homeowners association, Tate is an attorney who practiced in several fields including estate planning, land use, family law and general business transactions. He has also founded several successful small businesses.

Legislative Deputy – Stephanie Zarro
Zarro is a former aide to State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and Congresswoman Jane Harman. She also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers where she conducted investigations of large-scale accounting fraud in publicly traded companies.

Deputy Chief of Staff – Aaron Gross
Gross has an extensive background in LA government, having worked in various capacities for former Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, former Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.

Office Manager, City Hall – Nikki Kelley
A resident of Los Angeles, Kelley has worked for Councilwoman Miscikowski and for Councilman Nate Holden.

Environmental Deputy – John Crosse
A resident of Playa del Rey, Crosse retired from the City of Los Angeles as Executive Assistant Director of the Bureau of Sanitation where he oversaw the operation and maintenance of the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plants and the Wastewater and Stormwater Collection Systems. He was Plant Manager of the Hyperion Treatment Plant during the $1.6 billion expansion to full-secondary treatment from 1990 to 1998.  He is a widely regarded environmental activist.

Field Deputy – Brentwood and Pacific Palisades – Andrea Epstein
A resident of Brentwood, Epstein has worked for several elected officials, including Congressman Xavier Becerra, former Councilman Nick Pacheco, and Miscikowski.

Field Deputy – West LA, Mar Vista, Palms – Len Nguyen
A resident of Palms, Nguyen was an organizer of the Palms Neighborhood Council and served as its president from 2002-2005.  He spent seven years as a Private Equity Associate and Senior Consulting Analyst with Wilshire Associates, a Santa Monica-based investment firm.

Field Deputy – Westchester, Playa del Rey, Del Rey – Kathryn Frengs
A resident of Del Rey, Frengs served as an intern in the Office of Presidential Personnel in the Clinton White House. After graduating from UC San Diego, Frengs worked in various capacities for U.S. Rep. Jane Harman.  She was Harman’s field representative for the communities she now represents for Rosendahl.

Field Deputy – Venice, Marina del Rey – Brodie Seagrave
A resident of Venice, Seagrave worked as a patrol officer for the Los Angeles Police Department from 1996-2001.  As a member of the police force in South Lake Tahoe, he has served as a hostage negotiator and union official.  Seagrave is passionate about helping the homeless and recently received a master’s degree in conflict resolution.

Arts, Education and Culture Deputy – Laurie Sale
A resident of Pacific Palisades, Laurie us a recognized leader and innovator in creating community and out-reach resources for parents, kids and teachers.  She has more than 25 years of experience in children’s advocacy, education and media.

Constituent Advocate – Jim Horwitz
A resident of West LA and the dean of the staff at age 77, Horwitz is a Korean War veteran, a UCLA graduate, and a community and political activist.  A small businessman and a salesman with a passion for helping people, he has served as an associate of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) and is a former member of KPFK’s advisory board.

Office Manager, West LA – Mary Misono
A West LA resident, Misono is a legend in city government.  She has worked for the 11th District since 1959, serving Councilman Karl Rundberg, Councilman Marvin Braude, Miscikowski, and now Rosendahl.  She is beloved by constituents and city employees alike.

Special Projects Deputy – Mark Antonio Grant
A Mar Vista resident, Mark recently worked as community liaison for the Rita Walters Learning Complex in South Los Angeles.  Grant has worked for a state senator, produced television for LAUSD, and served as a special projects coordinator for former Superintendent, Dr. Ruben Zacarias.

Office Manager, Westchester – Laurel Gallant
An experienced city staffer, Gallant has held administrative positions with various councilmembers:  Janice Hahn, Rudy Svorinich, and Ruth Galanter, for whom she worked in the Westchester field office.

Constituent Advocate – Reza Akef
A resident of Pacific Palisades, Akef is a recent graduate of UC Santa Barbara.  While in college, Akef served as a Student Advocate in the Vice Chancellor's Office of Student Affairs, and a Senior Criminal Legal Intern for the Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office, where he worked on gang violence cases.

For more information, please go to: www.councilmanrosendahl.com.

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