Deana Igelsrud

DEANA IGELSRUD, Co-Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party’s Legislative Action Committee, uses her background as a community organizer to bring people together and to help motivate them to build their collective power.  Whether it’s vetting legislation, working on or forming educational/informational campaigns, speaking at events, testifying at hearings, training Democratic Clubs, or helping shape policy in the Democratic Party; Deana is dedicated to advocating for fairness and overcoming social injustice.  Currently, she assists the Concept Art Association in their advocacy to protect human artists and creators from the theft of their intellectual property, which then is used as “data fuel” for unregulated generative Artificial Intelligence.

Seeking re-election to the County Central Committee, where she serves as Co-Chair for the Legislative Action Committee, Deana has advocated for legislation including: Supporting policies that would end poverty and homelessness (fighting for affordable housing/rent control, strengthening unions and worker protections, increasing the minimum wage, and championing Medicare For All).  Standing up for the environment to tackle climate change (100% renewables by 2030, The Green New Deal, and banning fracking). Upholding the freedom and equality that are America’s promise (protecting choice, gender, and LGBTQIA equality; pushing for criminal justice reforms; and ending cash bail). Defending against attacks on the livelihoods of creators of all kinds, workers, journalists(-ism) and democracy itself (by pushing for clean money and fair elections policies, and advocating for ethical and human-complementary AI regulations).

Deana has pushed for change not only at the local level, but at the state Party level as well.  She helped co-author the California Democratic Party's (CDP's) "long overdue" policy for vetting legislation and was successful in getting the CDP to permanently adopt the practice, helping to permanently enshrine this tool for activists and legislators to work together on important issues facing Californians at every level of government.  In addition, on her own dime, she trains Democratic Clubs and activists to track and advocate for the legislation and issues they care about.

“It's really about promoting civic engagement at all levels for me.  I'm proud to say that being part of the County Central Committee (aka - the Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACDP)) for the last seventeen years, I have worked hard every day to make sure we have both advocated for (and supported) our progressive values.”

She is also a member of the Santa Monica Democratic Club, Stonewall Democratic Club, West Hollywood-Beverly Hills Democratic Club, and West LA Democratic Club.

“When voting in the March 5th Democratic Primary for the seven Democrats to represent you, I would be honored if one of your votes was for me Deana Igelsrud. Thank you so much!”

Endorsements:

-Clubs & Organizations-

-Santa Monica Democratic Club

-West Hollywood - Beverly Hills (WH-BH) Democratic Club

-Americans For Democratic Action - Southern California (ADA SoCal)

-Elected Officials-

-Ted Lieu, Congress Member, 36th District

-Ben Allen, CA State Senator, 24th District

-Rick Chavez Zbur, CA Assembly Member, 51st District

-Lindsay Horvath, Chair, LA County Board of Supervisors

-Holly J. Mitchell, Member, Member, LA County Board of Supervisors

-John Erickson, Mayor, City of West Hollywood

-Caroline Torosis, Council Member, City of Santa Monica

-Sue Himmelrich, Former Mayor, City of Santa Monica

-Labor & Community Leaders-

-Ada Briceno

Co-President, UNITE HERE-Local 11 / Chair, Orange County Democratic Party

-Larry Gross

Executive Director, Coalition for Economic Survival / Region 12 Director, (CDP)

-Marica Hanscom

Executive Director, Ballona Institute / Co-Chair, Wetlands Committee, Sierra Club

-Benton Jew

IMA Council Member, IATSE-Local 800 / Illustrator

-Rachel Meinerding

Co-Founder, Concept Art Association

-Susie Shannon

Executive Director, Poverty Matters / Founder, DNC Poverty Council / DNC Member

-Michele Sutter

Co-Founder, Money Out-Voters In (MOVI)

-Democratic Party-

-Carolyn Fowler

Controller, California Democratic Party (CDP) / DNC Member

-Diana Love

Secretary, California Democratic Party (CDP)

-Sara Roos

Chair, Children’s Caucus, California Democratic Party / Public Education Advocate

-Cara Robin

President, West LA Democratic Club

-Lillian Raffel

Former President, (WH-BH) Democratic Club / President, Rotary Club of Beverly Hills 

-Michael Colorge

Vice President - Operations, Stonewall Democratic Club

-Stacy Fortner

Vice President - Political, Heart of LA Democratic Club

Experience:

-Co-Chair, Legislative Action Committee, Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Appointed position (2010-current)

-Member, Legislative Committee, California Democratic Party, Appointed position (2007-2009) & (2017-2021)

-Executive Board Member, California Democratic Party, Elected position (2007-current)

-Member County Central Committee; Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Elected position (2007-current)

-Political Director, California Democracy Act, Prof. George Lakoff's "Majority Rule Initiative" to fix California's budget crisis, Appointed position (2009-2010)

Education:

1996: San Francisco State University - BA (Magna Cum Laude), Radio & Television Broadcasting

Awards:

2023: Pat Eastman Volunteer of the Year, Los Angeles County Democratic Party

2016: Democrat of the Year (50th AD), Los Angeles County Democratic Party

2010: Susan B. Locker Award, 47th AD Democratic Club

2007: Democrat of the Year, California Democratic Party - Region 14