Susan Jordan is running for the office Pedro Nava will vacate in 2010 and launched her campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 35th Assembly District a year ago. Jordan is director of the nonprofit environmental advocacy group, the California Coastal Protection Network, and was formerly associated with the organization Vote the Coast. She has been active in environmental issues for years, and was a leading opponent of the BHP Billiton LNG proposal off the Ventura County coast.
After earning her Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Susan worked as a community health educator as the Director of Community Relations for the Women’s Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She served as the Chair of the Barrier Methods Committee and spearheaded a seven-year campaign to gain Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for a barrier method of birth control still in use today. Susan’s interest and commitment to public policy analysis and reform grew during the 14 years she spent as Senior Partner in the research arm of a large national strategic business development and consulting firm. She left her business career to devote herself to environmental protection issues and served as Chair and Member of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission from 2002-2005. She is an award-winning environmental leader, business woman and health advocate with 15 years of experience working to protect California’s coastline as an economic, environmental and recreational resource. Susan brings a lifetime of experience meeting payroll, managing a business, and raising a child  (she is the wife of Assemblyman Pedro Nava ) while dedicating her life to the betterment of her community.

Das Williams has served 4 years as legislative aide, 5 years teaching, 6 years on the Santa Barbara City Council, and working in over 26 elections for progressive candidates and causes. He grew up locally, attended local schools in Ventura and Santa Barbara and attended Santa Barbara City College before transferring to U.C. Berkeley, where he earned his degree in Political Science. He holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science & Management from UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science, with a focus in water pollution, planning processes, and land-use law.
In addition to his service on the Santa Barbara City Council, Das has been active as a community organizer for CAUSE, a Ventura based non-profit, presently heading the group’s efforts to stop a proposed Wal-Mart development in Ventura. Currently he teaches at Antioch University in Santa Barbara, serves as a Trustee of Peabody Charter School and on the national board of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
On the Santa Barbara City Council, he spearheaded the successful effort to pass some of the toughest energy efficiency standards in the state that require that 30% of Santa Barbara’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2011. He has been a leader in the effort to stop off-shore oil drilling, protecting the coast and local water supplies by working to restore local creeks and wetlands, and fighting to preserve open space. He led the push to expand the city’s public transit system – reducing traffic and pollution. While the state’s school system has come under increasing stress, Das helped craft a plan to avoid layoffs at local schools and expand critical after-school programs. Recently, he helped balance the city budget without cutting vital city services.

Debate moderator:   Edward Castillo