Whole You, Powered by Spring Health, extends personalized mental health care to more than 245,000 California state employees across 153 departments
By Kristina Piersanti, 5W PR for Spring Health
SACRAMENTO, Calif., — California’s firefighters, police officers, parks departments, correctional staff, and many others spend their careers keeping communities safe and helping people through their worst days. Nationally, first responders develop PTSD at up to ten times the rate of the general population, according to a 2025 meta-analysis published in Clinical Psychology Review[1]. It’s a toll that builds quietly over the routine weight of emergency response and is compounded during high-intensity stretches like fire season.
The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) is now providing the state’s employees and their families access to Whole You, Powered by Spring Health, CalHR’s new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering confidential, personalized support for care, crisis needs, work-life challenges, and everyday wellbeing. A lifelong mental health platform, Spring Health will deliver mental health care to more than 245,000 California state employees across 153 departments, and their eligible family members.
First responders receive the most extensive tier of care under the new program, delivered by trauma-informed providers with direct experience in first responder roles. Support staff within CalFire, the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also receive an elevated level of support, reflecting the higher-stress nature of their roles. The State’s 153,000 administrative or desk-based staff will also receive support under the new program.
CalHR was drawn to Spring Health’s proven outcomes, not just improved access. According to research published in OJPHI and JAMA Network Open, 92% of members reliably improve or recover from depression or anxiety, and members recover 5.9 weeks faster than the leading competitor, with appointments available in less than two days on average, compared to a 48-day average with traditional EAPs.
“First responders put themselves in harm’s way over and over again to protect the communities they serve. That takes a toll not just on them, but on their families too,” said George Michaels, Chief Revenue Officer at Spring Health. “Partnering with CalHR to support more than 245,000 state employees is exactly the kind of large-scale, public-sector commitment we built Spring Health to deliver on, and we’re honored to help deliver the mental health support they and their families deserve.”
“When people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home,” said Shannon MacGregor, Statewide Employee Assistance Program Manager at the California Department of Human Resources. “Our first responders carry things most of us never have to. Whole You is our commitment that when they need support, it’s there — fast, confidential and built around what they’ve actually experienced.”
Whole You, Powered by Spring Health, is available now to California state employees and their eligible dependents through their department’s benefits resources. For more information on Spring Health’s lifelong mental health platform, visit our webpage.
About Spring Health
Spring Health is a global mental health company built on one AI-native platform so care follows individuals across every job, move, health plan, and life stage. Independently validated by JAMA Network Open and the Validation Institute, with 92% of members reliably improved or recovered from depression or anxiety and employers seeing a 52% reduction in total mental health claims costs, Spring Health provides personalized lifelong mental health support across self-guided tools, coaching, therapy, medication management, and specialty care. More than 170 million people worldwide have access to Spring Health, which is trusted by leading employers, health plans, and channel partners, including Highmark, Target, The Coca-Cola Company, BlackRock, Microsoft, Pfizer, and Wawa.
[1]Arena, A.F., Gregory, M., Collins, D.A.J., Vilus, B., Bryant, R., Harvey, S.B., & Deady, M. (2025). Global PTSD prevalence among active first responders and trends over recent years: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 120, 102622.
All-gender restroom in California’s State Capitol building. Video screenshot source: CA Family Council
“The law requires that every school campus have at least one all-gender restroom option available to students.”
By Greg Burt, Vice President, California Family Council
SACRAMENTO, CA — California is quietly moving toward mixed-sex bathrooms in K-12 public schools, and the state’s own Department of Education is leading the way.
A new law California Family Council opposed, SB 760, now requires schools to provide at least one “all-gender” restroom option on campus.
Passed in September 2023, the bill was cosponsored by then-State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda). He, then-State Senator Nancy Skinner, now-State Sen. Tim Grayson and Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Buffy Wicks, and Lori Wilson who represent Contra Costa County, voted for the bill.
The stated goal was to make transgender-identified students feel safer from bullying. But in the rush to accommodate those students’ feelings, lawmakers apparently gave little thought to a different safety question: what happens when boys are given access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms?
The State Is Already Building the Roadmap
The California Department of Education has an entire webpage dedicated to “All Access Restrooms,” describing it as a resource offering background information, planning and design resources, laws and regulations, and references for implementing “gender-inclusive” restrooms in K-12 schools.
The background information on that page acknowledges that “the designs of all-access restrooms have been trending in schools throughout the state, the country, and the world,” while noting there are currently no California design standards for these facilities. In other words, the trend is already underway, and the standards are still catching up.
The planning section of the CDE page is even more candid about the scope of what is being proposed. It describes “shifting from multi-user gendered restrooms and single-user all-gender restrooms to offering blocks of restroom facilities for all students;” meaning the goal is not just a single converted nurse’s bathroom tucked in a hallway. The ambition is to redesign entire blocks of school restroom facilities so that boys and girls share the same space.
What Would It Look Like?
The new all-gender bathroom designs typically eliminate urinals entirely, replacing them with individual private stalls accessible to everyone. The CDE’s resources page recommends an academic article published in the Education Sciences Journal titled “Expanding the Scope of Universal Design: Implications for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation,” by Ellyn Couillard and Jeanne L. Higbee (2018), as a guide for implementation. That an academic paper on gender identity ideology is among the state’s recommended planning resources tells you something about the ideological framework driving these design decisions.
But keep in mind, SB 760 doesn’t require a complete redesign of a single-sex bathroom for it to become all-gender.
You Already Saw It at the State Capitol
If you want to get a glimpse of what legislators have in mind when they convert a single sex bathroom into an all gender bathroom, take a look at one of the converted male bathrooms at the state capitol, used by legislative staffers, adult visitors, and elementary school children visiting on field trips. California Family Council recently took a video of the empty bathroom located to one side of the Capitol Dome.
“I’m pretty sure most parents would object to their young children sharing a bathroom while men are using the urinals,” Burt said. “Even without the adult issue, I’ve witnessed the chaos that occurs when young boys are pouring into the same bathrooms as the girls while visiting the Capitol. The girls are not happy about it.” (Watch video tour of Capitol bathroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okTcKcP3ACQ)
So, what should parents expect when multi-stall bathrooms are converted to all gender at their child’s school?
What the Law Actually Requires — And What It Doesn’t
It is important to be clear about what SB 760 does and does not mandate. The law requires that every school campus have at least one all-gender restroom option available to students. It could be single-stall or multi-stall. It must be supplied with menstrual products starting in 3rd grade, and it must be unlocked and easily accessible. But there are no requirements that urinals be removed or that additional privacy measures be added to stalls.
Sex-separated restrooms are still permitted, and most schools will continue to have them.
Burt explained what this means in practice for families. “How each school fulfills this new requirement is entirely up to the local school board. A conservative district might simply relabel a single-occupancy nurse’s bathroom and call it done. A progressive district could use this law as a green light to convert entire multi-stall restroom facilities to mixed-sex use. Parents need to find out right now what their district is planning,” he said.
The CDE’s planning resources make clear that the broader vision goes well beyond a single-stall accommodation in the corner of the building. It points toward a wholesale redesign of school bathroom facilities, one that treats sex-separated restrooms as a problem to be solved rather than a common-sense protection for children.
The Question Nobody in Sacramento Answered
SB 760’s supporters argued the law was needed to protect transgender-identified students from harassment, but the legislature never seriously asked the parallel question: does giving boys access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms create new opportunities for harassment and assault of girls?
California has seen case after case in recent years where policies designed to accommodate gender identity have created unsafe situations for female students. The discomfort of girls sharing intimate spaces with biological males is not a lesser concern. Lawmakers who refused to weigh it have not protected children. They have simply chosen which children’s safety matters.
Parents: Now Is the Time to Speak Up
Because each school board will decide how to implement SB 760 on its own campuses, parents have a real opportunity to influence what happens at their child’s school, but that window will not stay open indefinitely. Decisions about restroom redesigns and facility changes get made early in the budget and planning process, often before most parents are even aware the conversation is happening.
If you want a say in how your district handles this new requirement, call your school board member and school administrators now. Ask them directly: how does our district plan to fulfill the SB 760 all-gender restroom requirement? Will existing sex-separated restrooms be preserved? Will multi-stall facilities be converted? Every parent deserves to know the answers.
California Family Council works to advance God’s design for life, family, and liberty through California’s Church, Capitol, and Culture. By advocating for policies that reinforce the sanctity of life, the strength of traditional marriages, and the essential freedoms of religion, CFC is dedicated to preserving California’s moral and social foundation.
“It’s a ‘free to be me’ preschool where the students can use their imaginations.” Director Mary Halbasch
By Allen D. Payton
So Big Preschool invites the community to join them for their Open House, Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 4:30-6:30 PM and “discover what makes our school such a special place to learn and grow! Come meet our amazing teachers, tour our classrooms, explore our curriculum, drop off school supplies and get all your questions answered before the new school year begins,” says Director Mary Halbasch.
Director Mary Halbasch welcomes all to So Big Preschool. Photos by Allen D. Payton
The preschool has been open since 1955 and she’s been here since 2008.
“Two doctors’ wives in Antioch started it so their children could play and learn with other children because there was no daycare or preschools in the 50’s,” she shared.
“The parents come in and participate in their children’s education if they want to,” Halbasch explained. “First-time parents don’t know what to expect. That’s why they’re here. We let them know what’s appropriate to know for each age.”
“We work with Los Medanos College students in ECE90 who need practicum hours. So, I have student teachers work with me. Each semester I have two to four,” she continued. “They work on a project approach, come in, get to know the students and then pick a topic from their child’s interest. The student teachers direct it and the parents participate.”
Mary’s grandson was one of her five students during the spring.
“We do field trips, here,” Halbasch shared.
“Since one student teacher was working on birds and the other on gardening, our next field trip was to Big Break in Oakley,” she said during the Spring Semester.
“It’s a non-profit organization. Jameelah Smith is the Board President,” Halbasch stated. “Currently we don’t have other members on the board of directors.”
During spring, she had five students and they all graduated this year.
“That covers the cost of rent from the Fairgrounds and insurance. I work for free,” Halbasch said.
The preschool can have up to 25 children as a licensed community care facility.
They’re governed, regulated and inspected by the state with surprise visits she shared.
So Big Preschool offers an outdoor playground and has some turtles, too.
Halbasch formerly worked in law enforcement as a patrol officer in Crescent City.
But when her daughter started preschool Mary decided that’s what she wanted to do, went and got her Early Childhood Education degree and started at Little LuLu’s in Antioch. She later started Cornerstone Christian Preschool.
When the director at So Big retired, Halbasch applied for the position and was hired.
“I like it where the children can be themselves which is what So Big is all about,” she shared. “It’s a ‘free to be me’ preschool where the students can use their imaginations.”
The classes are open 8:30-11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
“Friday is our deep clean day. We sanitize everything and get it all cleaned up,” Halbasch added.
Mary’s grandson plays with the chickens in the coop.
The cost for two days a week is $200 per month, three days is $300 and four days is $400.
“Because the tuition is low, we ask the parents to help with the maintenance, including cleaning and yard work,” she said.
“We’re considered a ‘play-based’ preschool and we have a complete Kindergarten Readiness program,” Halbasch added. “We do the American flag salute. I pray with the students.”
“I love to teach life cycles,” she continued. “In the fall we bought baby chicks and now they’re grown and we’re gathering eggs every day.”
“We love the kids, here. I try to make sure they’re safe. They ride their bikes and play outside in the enclosed playground. They have so much fun,” Halbasch concluded.
So Big Preschool’s old (left) and new (right) signs on the wall near the playground.
You’re Invited!
“We can’t wait to welcome new and returning families for an evening of fun, learning and excitement as we get ready for another wonderful school year,” Mary said.
Suspect Camari Coleman in photos from his Facebook page posted April 29, 2025, (left) and Dec. 21, 2025 (right). Source: Facebook
23-year-old held on $1.1 million bail
By Antioch Police Department
The Antioch Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with the death of 77-year-old Paul Lawson following an assault that occurred in June.
On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, members of the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau arrested 23-year-old Camari Coleman in the City of Brentwood. Coleman, of Brentwood, (born 9/25/2002) was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility after the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed charges of Penal Code section 187(a) – Murder and Penal Code section 368(b)(1) – Elder Abuse Resulting in Death.
The charges stem from an incident on June 9, 2026, when Antioch Police officers responded to a reported battery at an outdoor phone vendor stand outside the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services building at 4545 Delta Fair Boulevard. Investigators determined that Mr. Lawson became involved in a verbal and physical fight with employees at the vendor stand. During the incident, Lawson fell and reported that he was unable to move. Witness statements regarding the circumstances of the fall vary, with some indicating he stumbled over a chair and others reporting he may have been pushed during the fight. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. (See related article)
On the morning of June 13, 2026, Mr. Lawson died while receiving care at the hospital.
The Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau conducted the investigation that led to Coleman’s identification as the suspect. The case was submitted to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office on July 16, 2026, and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued.
According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the six-foot, two-inch tall, 183-pound Coleman is Black and being held on $1.1 million bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for tomorrow, July 22nd in Martinez Superior Court, Dept. 5 at 1:30 p.m.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Duff at rduff@antiochca.gov.
12-year-old Isaiah and 13-year-old Gianni Figueroa were missing from Antioch for a week, and 33-year-old Yesenia Villasenor was listed as a suspect. Source: CHP
Biological mother has history of arrests including by Antioch Police on July 12thfor battery.
By Allen D. Payton
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the CHP announced two boys from Antioch have been missing since July 13. It reads, “ENDANGERED MISSING ADVISORY – San Joaquin and Contra Costa Counties Last seen: Redwood Drive and Gentrytown Drive, Antioch. IF SEEN, CALL 9-1-1.”
The boys are 12-year-old Isaiah and 13-year-old Gianni Figueroa who are listed as victims and a 33-year-old woman named Yesenia Villasenor is listed as a suspect. But the flier does not mention her relationship to the boys or that she kidnapped them.
The post included the above flier which reads, “This EMA has been activated by the CHP ENTAC (Emergency Notification and Tactical Alert Center) on behalf of the Antioch Police Department. The CHP ENTAC was notified on July 19, 2026 at 1415 Hours (2:15 PM).”
Updated flier showing the boys have been located. Source: Antioch PD
The flier also shares that the boys were “last seen on July 13, 2026, at approximately 1800 hours, in Antioch, Contra Costa County. Isaiah and Gianni are possibly traveling in a vehicle.”
A photo, license plate and description of a vehicle is included in the flier: White 2109 Toyota Highlander with CA license plate number 8KJR109.
In response to efforts to reach Antioch Police about the matter, as of 5:43 pm, Lt. Bill Whitaker wrote, “They are safe. Post coming out shortly.”
UPDATE 1: A post later Monday on the APD Facebook page reads, “f you have seen this posted on social media or on the freeways, we wanted to update you that the children have been safely located. No further assistance is needed. Thank you.”
Whitaker was asked for additional details and if Villasenor was arrested. He responded, “No arrests.” It was a “custodial and court order issue.”
UPDATE 2: Asked if she is the boys’ mother and where they were located, Whitaker responded, “Yes, their biological mother. We won’t answer their whereabouts for the safety of all involved.”
According to localcrimenews.com, Villasenor has been arrested multiple times dating back to 2015 by various agencies including Antioch, Concord and Pleasant Hill Police, and most recently by the El Dorado Sheriff’s Department on March 1, 2026, for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. Her other arrests were for DUI alcohol with blood alcohol continent greater than .08, driving while license is suspended and for warrants or holds only.
Following a shooting, marijuana, guns and other items were confiscated from four men arrested in Antioch early Sunday morning, July 19, 2026. Photo: Antioch PD
Two aged 22, two aged 19 charged with multiple felonies; one was also arrested in April on similar charges
By Antioch Police Department
Last night, Saturday, July 18, 2026, Antioch Police Dispatch received multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire in the area of Metcalf Street. About an hour earlier, dispatch had also received reports of loud music and a large gathering of vehicles nearby.
When officers arrived, they located a vehicle with multiple bullet strikes along the passenger side. Three occupants were inside the vehicle, with a fourth person standing nearby. Fortunately, no one was injured.
As officers investigated, they noticed inconsistencies in the group’s statements, and one subject’s behavior raised suspicion. While speaking with the driver, Officer Lutu observed a firearm in plain view inside the vehicle. All four subjects were detained for officer safety.
A loaded handgun was confiscated from one subject’s waistband, and a second firearm, an AR-style pistol, was found inside a backpack on the rear seat. Officers also recovered a spent shell casing from inside the vehicle. Evidence indicated that at least one round had been fired from inside the vehicle, exiting through the windshield.
During the investigation, officers also located approximately 23 ounces of marijuana.
All four subjects were arrested. According to Lt. Bill Whitaker, they were charged with four felonies, including PC25400(A)(1) – carrying a concealed weapon within any vehicle; PC25850(A) – carrying a loaded firearm on the person or in a vehicle while in any public place; PC30605(A) – possesses of an assault weapon; and PC32310(A) – manufacturing or causing to be manufactured, importing into the state, keeping for sale, or offering or exposing for sale, or giving, lending, buying, or receiving any large-capacity magazine.
According to the Antioch Police CitizenRIMS, those arrested at 1:25 AM, Sunday, July 19th, were 22-year-old Malik Royce Bennett (born 6/20/2004), 19-year-old Makai Zakarya Andrade-Diouf (born 8/27/2006) and Carlos Keele, also 19 years old (born 9/06/2006). All three are listed as Black or African American. According to Lt. Franco Caesar, the fourth suspect was 22-year-old Malakyi Ricard, but did not have any additional information about him.
According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Bennett is five-feet, eight-inches tall and 190-pounds; Andrade-Diouf is five-feet, 10-inches tall and 148-pounds and Keele is five-feet, five-inches tall and 120-pounds. Each are also charged with a fifth felony of PC246.3(A), discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner which could result in injury or death to a person and are being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on $100,000 bail.
According to localcrimenews.com, Bennett is from San Leandro and was also arrested in Alameda on April 20, 2026, for carrying a loaded firearm on a person or in a vehicle while in a public place and carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle.
Excellent work by responding officers for safely resolving a dangerous situation and recovering multiple illegal firearms.
Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal (left, second row) and his classmates were joined by Michael Bloomberg (front, center) on the second day of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Class of 2027 during the week of July 13, 2026. Photo: BHCLI
One of two mayors from California, among 46 from 15 countries, who together lead over 22 million people, selected for program
Joint effort with Bloomberg Philanthropies marks decade of strengthening local government while advancing research, teaching and the practice of city hall leadership
By Jaden Baird, PIO, City of Antioch
ANTIOCH, CA — Mayor Ron Bernal announced, Friday, July 17, 2026, being selected as one of the 46 mayors from 15 countries for the tenth class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. He participated this past week at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the Class of 2027. Through the nine-month professional management program, Mayor Bernal—alongside key Antiochstaff who will begin in August—will gain strategies to improve how local government works and move residents’ chief priorities forward. This is the second time Bernal has been selected to participate in a class at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard’s Kennedy School. He also attended the First 100 Days program in December 2024. Bernal and Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi were the only mayors from California selected for the tenth class.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and to bring learnings home to Antioch,” said Mayor Ron Bernal. “The program gives mayors access to expert faculty, research-backed frameworks, and practical tools we can put to work right away. For Antioch, that means building on our work to address blighted areas and make them cleaner, safer and more vibrant—because our community deserves a city hall that never stops learning and networking.”
Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal participates as a member of the BHCLI Class of 2027. Photo: BHCLI
The flagship Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is at the center of more than 10 years of work led by Bloomberg Philanthropies through its Government Innovation program to strengthen mayoral leadership and local government across the globe. Today, it is where the world’s mayors come to learn—and to lead. Mayor Bernal joined them.
Established with Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard, the Initiative will have now served 447 mayors—including eight in ten of America’s big-city mayors and nine of England’s mayoral strategic authorities—alongside over 3,000 municipal chiefs.
“Mayors sit at the first and last mile of every major problem we face, and we built the Government Innovation program to ensure they have the capacity required to lead,” said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is at its center, and in a moment that demands more from public leadership than ever, this class will have that world of support behind them. We look forward to these mayors putting it to work, and all that their city halls will do.”
Antioch Mayor Bernal participates in the 10th BHCLI class with 45 other mayors this past week. Photo: BHCLI
Through the Initiative, Bernal will work alongside Harvard faculty, policy experts, veteran managers and fellow mayors—periodically in classrooms, virtual sessions, and in the field—beginning with a multi-day convening in New York City this week. Participants learn to organize teams around outcomes, ground decisions in evidence, and collaborate across departments and sectors—applying lessons directly to the issues at home, from housing and affordability to economic growth, public safety, and emergency response.
Once the coursework ends, Antioch remains eligible for more: professional education for senior officials in economic development, human resources, procurement and civic engagement; a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow, placed for up to two years on a priority the mayor sets; and research and instructional material developed across the program’s first decade.
“Leading a city is among the hardest jobs in public service anywhere as the demands on mayors—and the complex challenges they face—continue to grow,” said Jorrit de Jong, Director of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University and Emma Bloomberg Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management at Harvard Kennedy School.“Meeting those challenges requires city halls to continually strengthen how they work, and with Michael R. Bloomberg’s unwavering backing, we built the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative to help them do just that—and every mayor teaches us in return. With a decade of that insight and research behind this tenth class, we expect their city halls to deliver at home and push the program’s work—and the field itself—further still.”
The tenth class of mayors represents 28 U.S. and 18 international cities, home to more than 22 million residents. The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Class of 2027 included:
NORTH AMERICA
United States:
Mayor Dorcey Applyrs – Albany, New York
Mayor Ron Bernal – Antioch, California
Mayor Sean Ryan – Buffalo, New York
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui – Cambridge, Massachusetts
Mayor Stephen M. Morris – Concord, North Carolina
Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss – Dayton, Ohio
Mayor Mary Sheffield – Detroit, Michigan
Mayor Sharon Tucker – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Mayor John Horhn – Jackson, Mississippi
Mayor James Solomon – Jersey City, New Jersey
Mayor Christal Watson – Kansas City, Kansas
Mayor Jaime Arroyo – Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Mayor Eileen Higgins – Miami, Florida
Mayor John Ewing – Omaha, Nebraska
Mayor Keith Wilson – Portland, Oregon
Mayor Marsha Judkins – Provo, Utah
Mayor Angela Birney – Redmond, Washington
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones – San Antonio, Texas
Mayor Michael Garcia – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Mayor Van Johnson – Savannah, Georgia
Mayor Jake Wilson – Somerville, Massachusetts
Mayor James Mueller – South Bend, Indiana
Mayor Lisa Brown – Spokane, Washington
Mayor Kaohly Her – St. Paul, Minnesota
Mayor Christina Fugazi – Stockton, California
Mayor Sharon Owens – Syracuse, New York
Mayor Anders Ibsen – Tacoma, Washington
Mayor Spencer Duncan – Topeka, Kansas
Canada: Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette – Gatineau, Canada
Jamaica: Mayor Andrew Swaby – Kingston, Jamaica
SOUTH AMERICA
Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán – Bogotá, Colombia
Mayor Agustín Iglesias – Independencia, Chile
Mayor Felipe Alessandri – Lo Barnechea, Chile
Mayor Esteban Allasino – Luján de Cuyo, Argentina
Mayor Sebastián Sichel – Ñuñoa, Chile
Mayor Ramón Lanús – San Isidro, Argentina
AFRICA
Mayor Sam Nujoma – Khomas Region, Namibia
Mayor Fatiha El Moudni – Rabat, Morocco
EUROPE
Mayor Richard Shakespeare – Dublin, Ireland
Mayor Stephan Keller – Düsseldorf, Germany
Mayor Mathias De Clercq – Ghent, Belgium
Mayor Carlos Moedas – Lisbon, Portugal
Mayor Helen Godwin – West of England, United Kingdom
Mayor Tomislav Tomašević – Zagreb, Croatia
OCEANIA
Mayor Sophie Barker – Dunedin, New Zealand
Mayor Mahé Drysdale – Tauranga, New Zealand
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg with Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal during this past week’s class. Photo: BHCLI
In July 13 and 14, 2026, posts on X, Michael Bloomberg wrote, “For the past decade, I’ve had the opportunity to share lessons from my 12 years in New York City Hall with hundreds of mayors through @BHcityleaders. This is our 10th class, and this month, 46 mayors from 15 countries will come together to begin learning from one another and working with Bloomberg @CenterforCities at @Harvard faculty & policy experts to help them better tackle the challenges their residents care about most. Mayors are expected to solve some of the toughest problems we face. That takes bold leadership, talented teams, and a willingness to try new ideas. It was great to meet the tenth class of the @bhcityleaders…They’re bringing fresh thinking and a determination to make their communities stronger.”
The flagship Initiative has also informed parallel efforts worldwide. The most recent is the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative, whose inaugural class included 30 mayors and 60 senior officials from 17 countries.
Through these leadership programs, Antioch enters Bloomberg Philanthropies’ broader Government Innovation portfolio and global community of practice, tens of thousands of mayors and municipal officials strong, who draw on each other’s work to better the lives of the hundreds of millions of residents they collectively serve.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $4.3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for ournewsletter, or follow us onInstagram,LinkedIn,YouTube,Threads,Facebook and X.
About the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative:
The flagshipBloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is at the center of more than10 years of work led by Bloomberg Philanthropies to strengthen mayoral leadership and local government across the globe. Established with Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard, the Initiative will have now served 447 mayors and over 3,000 senior municipal officials, including 8 in 10 of America’s big city mayors and 9 of England’s mayoral strategic authorities. Today, it is where many of the world’s most accomplished mayors come to learn—and to lead. For more information, please visit cityleadership.harvard.edu or visit us onLinkedIn andX.
About the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University:
Founded in 2021 with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. The Center’s cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The center is designed to have widespread impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world. For more information, please visitcities.harvard.edu or follow us onInstagram,LinkedIn, andX.
Two Antioch city council, two school board seats up
By Dawn Kruger, Community and Media Relations Coordinator, Contra Costa County, Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department
The Candidate Filing Period for the November 3rd General Election will began, Monday, July 13, 2026, and nomination papers will be available for candidates running for office. The nomination period runs through 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 7, 2026.
In Antioch, City Council seats for District 1, currently represented by incumbent Tamisha Torres-Walker, and District 4, currently represented by incumbent Monica Wilson, are up for election. So far only one challenger has announced for District 4, Sandra White, who is running and hoping her third time is a charm. Plus, on the Antioch School Board, the seats for trustees in Area 2, currently represented by Dr. Jag Lathan, and Area 5, currently represented by incumbent Mary Rocha, who recently told the Herald she will run again, are up for election.
Papers for offices that are up for election will be available at the Contra Costa Elections Office, 555 Escobar Street, Martinez. Papers for Municipal Offices will be available from the City Clerk’s office in the city the position represents.
For further information on the General Election and key dates, go to www.contracostavote.gov
“Our Candidate Services team is ready to work with Candidates who will be running in the November General Election,” said Kristin B. Connelly, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters. “Our office is here to help potential candidates.”
If an incumbent does not file to run for office by the August 7th deadline, the filing period for that office will extend until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. This rule does not apply to incumbents that have reached their term limit and are unable to run again.
Interested candidates can schedule an appointment by emailing candidate.services@vote.cccounty.us or by calling (925) 335-7800. Walk-ins are accepted, but service is subject to the availability of staff. Appointments are available on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Filing documents and information will be provided to interested constituents at their appointment. The process takes approximately 20 minutes.
