Women's Leadership and Networking Day Spotlight- Michele Martinez

Michele and several other prominent women will be speaking on her journey into politics at the YWCA's 3rd Annual Women's Leadership and Networking Day on May 2nd at Twin Palms Restaurant and Lounge in Pasadena. Register today at www.ywca.org/wlnd2014!

Michele Martinez’s passion for public service stems from her strong commitment to serving her community.  As one of the youngest to serve on the City Council, Michele brings new and positive energy to the City of Santa Ana.  Michele was elected to the City Council in November of 2006 and was re-elected for a second term in 2010.

Michele’s priorities on the council include economic development, public health and safety and active transportation. Michele understands the importance of having a thriving economic base to support job creation and a healthy and safe community. Furthermore, she is a strong supporter of local businesses and the critical role they play in education, our neighborhood preservation, and the economic development of the City. Michele currently chairs the Finance, Economic Development & Technology City Council Committee and serves on the following City Council Committees: Development & Transportation, Public Safety, Legislative, and the Strategic Planning Sub-Committee.

Michele also represents the City of Santa Ana on several regional boards; she currently serves on the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the nation's largest metropolitan planning organization representing six counties, 189 cities and more than 19 million residents.  SCAG undertakes a variety of planning and policy initiatives to encourage a more sustainable Southern California.  She is an at-large member for the California League of Cities Orange County Division and also represents the Orange County Division on the League of California Cities, Transportation, Communication and Public Works Policy Committee. Michele is a board member for the Orange County Waste Management Commission, representing City Selection Committee for the 1^st District. She is also the City’s representative on Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG), a joint powers authority established to monitor, analyze and provide Orange County's technical and policy recommendations on all SCAG plans and programs.  Michele also represents the City on the Transportation Corridor Agencies Committee (TCA).  TCA are two joint powers authorities formed by the California legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct, and operate Orange County's toll roads. TCA consists of two local government agencies: the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency which oversees the San Joaquin Hills Toll Road and the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency which runs both the Foothill Toll Road and the Eastern Toll Road.

Lastly, she is a board member with the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO); a leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed Latino public officials in the United States. Michele also recently became a board member for the Southern California Latino Policy Center, a non-partisan, policy education and research organization created to provide local Latino elected officials from LA County, Orange County and the Inland Empire with resources, research and professional development opportunities designed to help those officials create the most effective and impactful policies for Latino families and all communities.

Michele is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton where she earned a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Health at Cal State Fullerton. Michele is the Director of Alliance for a Healthy Orange County and enjoys spending her free time cycling and living a healthy life style.