About Gina Papan

I grew up in San Mateo County and I love this place.

I have been working hard as your neighbor, Council Member, and Mayor to maintain and improve our quality of life.

I proudly became a Millbrae City Council Member in 2005. In this role, I have focused on efficiency, economic development, and revenue enhancement so that Millbrae can continue to provide the excellent services that we take pride in. I worked with the community to pass the Fire Assessment and consolidate city services to improve response times and save taxpayer resources. I have worked extensively with the Millbrae Redevelopment Agency, BART, and others to promote new businesses that help our local economy grow. I initiated an aggressive anti-graffiti effort to hold perpetrators accountable and keep the city clean. I gained authorization from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to utilize vacant land that they own in Millbrae to establish a community dog park.

I was elected to and served as a board member on the San Mateo County Housing Endowment and Regional Trust where we raised public and private funds to address critical housing needs throughout San Mateo including five new developments and the rehabilitation of a senior housing development. I have also served on the San Mateo County Emergency Services Council and the Airport Land Use Committee to ensure that our regional services continue to provide top quality service to Millbrae and the rest of the county.

I had the great honor to serve as the Mayor of Millbrae in 2008. As Mayor I helped finalize negotiations with the Millbrae School District to refurbish the athletic fields at all school sites to improve recreational and athletic opportunities for our youth and the entire community. I ran the Mayor’s Civic Coordinating Council, represented the city on the San Mateo County Council of Cities and the City and County Association of Governments Board of Directors and Legislative Committee where I focused on how the cities throughout the Peninsula can work together to promote our mutual interests and continue to build a positive network of communities. I also currently represent Millbrae on the Congestion Management Program and Environmental Quality Committee (CMEQ), the Grand Boulevard Task Force, the High Speed Rail Policymakers Working Group, and the Peninsula Congestion Relief Alliance. Previously, I served as a Chamber of Commerce Advisor and as Liaison for Millbrae TV and Community Preservation Committees.

While working on the Council, I have continued my commitment to the community through my work with several local organizations. I serve as the director of John’s Closet, which has provided free, new clothing to more than 13,000 underserved children and remains dedicated to a vision of giving youth the confidence to achieve and families the help they need. As a board member of the San Francisco Women Lawyer’s Alliance I successfully pushed for a law that mandates the creation of children’s waiting rooms at courthouses throughout the state. I am a member of the Peninsula Women’s Health Council, and co-direct the John Papan Memorial Scholarship Fund named in honor of my brother who passed away in 1981.

I began my professional career as a corporate lawyer, but soon moved on to become a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California. I have served the public for 17 years in this capacity, protecting civil rights, investigating, and litigating on behalf of citizens in cases involving fraudulent use of taxpayer money. As the Deputy Director of a state agency, I managed 150 employees and a $400 million budget. In addition, I served on the School Violence Prevention and Response Task Force, the Child Abduction Task Force, and also as a legislative advisor to the High Technology Crime Advisory Committee.

I graduated from Capuchino High School in San Bruno. (Go Mustangs!) I did my undergraduate work at the University of California, Santa Barbara where I studied finance and economics. I earned my law degree from University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. Later I completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, which prepares public leaders for advanced roles in government service.

My experience and commitment show that I understand the needs of the San Mateo County and know how to work for the benefit of the people. And that is why I respectfully ask for your vote for San Mateo County Supervisor in the 2011 Special Election.