San Ramon councilwoman announces campaign for State Senate
District includes Antioch; will face Assemblyman Tim Grayson in March primary election
By Allen D. Payton
In her first year on the San Ramon City Council, Marisol Rubio announced Thursday, August 17, 2023 that she has officially launched her State Senate campaign to replace State Senator Steve Glazer who cannot run for reelection due to term limits. With the recent redistricting the Senate district is now Senate District 9. This is her second run for the State Senate. According to Ballotpedia, Rubio ran in 2020 to represent District 7 but lost to Glazer in the March primary.
The current district includes portions of Contra Costa County, including the cities of Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, the towns of Danville and Moraga, and portions of Alameda County including San Leandro and the unincorporated communities of Ashland, Castro Valley, and San Lorenzo.
A press release issued by her campaign reads as follows:
In November of 2022, Marisol was elected to the San Ramon City Council District 4 with over 64% of the vote. She previously served as Director and Vice President of the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD). Marisol is a 100% Pro-Choice Democrat with a strong record of fighting to protect our environment.
She is also a Founding Advisory Board Member of a nonprofit that advocates for women’s reproductive health education and treatment, as well as a fund that advances policies to protect individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“I am a results-oriented, proven leader that will bring to the California Senate a strong, much-needed progressive voice with knowledge and lived experience in public health, social justice, the environment, and education,” said Marisol.
Marisol is the proud parent of a childhood brain cancer survivor who has lived with lifelong disabilities. She worked closely with her daughter for over two decades to ensure that she had quality health care and a strong education. As a result, her daughter is a long-term survivor and student in college double majoring in Psychology and Spanish.
More on Marisol
Rubio received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley with a major in Molecular and Cell Biology, Neurobiology emphasis, where she was the recipient of the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Women’s Leadership Scholarship Award, and a member of the Biology Scholars Programs. She is a former bilingual science teacher and original research mentor.
She has applied her science background and personal experience to work for the benefit of our
community, including:
- Protecting our water quality and supply at DSRSD as Vice Chair, then Chair of
DSRSD-EBMUD Recycled Water Authority (DERWA) and as a liaison for Zone 7, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District, and the City of San Ramon. - Supporting the health and fair employment practices, benefits, and wages for home care providers.
Championing environmental efforts as an Executive Committee Board Member at Sierra Club California and the San Francisco Bay Chapter. - Implementing Just Transition as the Environmental Co-Chair of a joint pilot
Labor-Climate Task Force
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According to her Facebook page, Rubio is also Co-Chair of the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the California Democratic Party.
According to her responses to questions by San Ramon Patch during last year’s campaign, Rubio shared more information about herself.
12. What is your day job, and how will that prepare you to serve on the council?
I am a Home Care Provider, Translator, and Learning Coach. COVID impacted the latter position. I have also worked in a variety of positions as a K-5 Bilingual Science Teacher, Original Research Mentor, Health Promotion Officer, and Student Disability Advisor. Collectively, I have in-depth understanding of the needs of our children and our most often overlooked members within our community – people with disabilities and the elderly. I also have a deep understanding about human health, psychology, and the environment based
on my academic, volunteer, and professional background.
13. What experience do you have serving the community?
CURRENT ELECTED & VOLUNTEER WORK
• Vice President, Elected Division 1 Director, Dublin San Ramon Services District
• Chair, DSRSD-EBMUD Recycled Water Authority (DERWA)
• San Ramon Government 101 Academy
• President, Diablo Valley Democratic Club
• Elected San Francisco Bay Chapter Executive Committee At-Large Member, Sierra Club
• National and State Leadership Council Member, Elected Officials to Protect America
o EOPA connects elected officials to bring about strong environmental policy.
• Co-Chair, Contra Costa Labor Council Labor – Climate Task Force
o A collaboration between the Contra Costa Labor Council and various Bay Area environmental organizations to identify points of intersectionality in order to lay the groundwork for Just Transition.
• Director of Government Relations, San Francisco Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
o Bringing government, community, and commerce together across the Bay Area.
• Founding Executive Board Member, The Natalie Project
o Fund advocacy group for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
• Founding Executive Board Member, FemTruth YouthTM
o Nonprofit based in Danville that advocates for reproductive health education.
• Co-Chair, Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Committee, California Democratic Party
• Co-Chair, Rules Committee, Contra Costa County Central Committee
• Elected Assembly District 16 Delegate
• SEIU 2015 Delegate, Contra Costa Labor Council
PAST VOLUNTEER WORK
• Elected Tri-Valley Group Executive Committee Member, Sierra Club
• Organizational and Operations Manager & Government Outreach, United Latino Voices
• Issues Committee Co-Chair, Contra Costa County Central Committee
• Ad Hoc Educational Committee Co-Chair, Contra Costa County Central Committee
• Educational Committee, California Democratic Party Disability Caucus
• Patient- & Family-Centered Care, Guest Lecturer, Samuel Merritt University FACES Summer Medical Academy
• Pediatric Oncology Clinic Volunteer, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
14. Of which accomplishments are you most proud?
Getting my education in Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in Neurobiology and, in turn, using that knowledge to help my daughter overcome her learning disabilities and, ultimately, attend college and pursue her dreams.
15. What is your education?
• A.A., German, French, Italian at Diablo Valley College (4.0 GPA)
• Recipient of the President’s Scholar Award, American Mathematical Association of Two- Year Colleges (AMATYC) Honorable Mention Award (Top 10% Nationally), and Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society at Oakton Community College.
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According to her LinkedIn page, she currently serves as the Council Liaison to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD), Arts Advisory Committee, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Teen Council, Arts Foundation, Housing Advisory Committee, Tri-Valley Water and East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) & Water Issues.
Since her election last November, Rubio’s role with the Sierra Club expanded as a member of the Sierra Club’s California Executive Board and since January a member of the organization’s Summit Committee. Also, since January Rubio has been a member of the Council of Club Leaders for the Sierra Club, San Francisco Bay Chapter.
Her campaign website provides more details about the two foundations she helped start, including Founding Executive Advisory Board Member for The Natalie Project: Fund advocacy group for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. In addition, it shows she is a Founding Executive Board Member for FemTruth Youth™: Nonprofit based in Danville that advocates for reproductive health education. According to CharityNavigator.org, the organization’s mission is “Representing an inclusive, grassroots coalition of youth, patient advocates and supporters at the intersection of womxn’s health, mental health, adverse childhood experiences and education; and reimagining inclusive new policy and standards for wellness.”
Rubio will face Assemblyman Tim Grayson who announced his campaign for the State Senate seat earlier this month in the primary election next March.
Her campaign website shows a slogan of “Putting Families and Communities First” but does not provide what her platform is, explaining the issues she will focus on if elected. Rubio and her campaign consultant were asked what those are.
“There will be more to add. This is just the announcement,” Andrew Acosta of Acosta Consulting responded. But she did not.
To learn more about Rubio’s campaign visit www.marisolforca.com.
the attachments to this post:
SD9 map
Marisol Rubio FB
