Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins represents the 39th Senate District, which includes San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar, and Solana Beach, and parts of unincorporated Rancho Santa Fe. Atkins was born and raised in southwestern Virginia—the daughter of a miner and a seamstress—and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Emory & Henry College in Virginia. From her eight-year tenure on the San Diego City Council to her years in the Legislature, Atkins has dedicated her career to serving as a champion for affordable housing, the environment, healthcare, veterans, women, the LGBTQ community, and mitigating the increasing impacts of climate change. She has authored landmark legislation on housing, including SB 2, which created a permanent source of funding for affordable housing, a signature piece of legislation she worked on for several years, and SB 9, which streamlined the process for homeowners to create a duplex or subdivide an existing lot in single-family zones. In 2022, Pro Tem Atkins introduced the ‘California Dream for All Program,’ an innovative new way for the state to help first-time homebuyers dramatically lower or eliminate their down-payment requirements and lower monthly mortgage payments. That same year, she authored several critical pieces of legislation, including SB 1375, which allows qualified nurse practitioners to provide abortions without the supervision of a physician, and SCA 10, a constitutional amendment to make explicit the fundamental right to abortion and contraceptives. She was the first San Diegan and first lesbian Speaker of the Assembly, and in March 2018, became the first woman and openly LGBTQ person to lead the California State Senate. She is the first person in 150 years, and the third person in California history, to lead both houses of the Legislature.

Tani Cantil-Sakauye is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California. From 2011 to 2022, she served as the 28th Chief Justice of California and led the judiciary as the chair of the Judicial Council—the constitutional policy and rule making body of the judicial branch—the first person of color and the second woman to do so. Before she was elected statewide as the Chief Justice of California, she served more than 20 years on California appellate and trial courts and was appointed or elevated to higher office by three governors. Earlier in her career she served as a deputy district attorney for the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and on the senior staff of Governor Deukmejian, first as deputy legal affairs secretary and later as a deputy legislative secretary. She holds a BA and a JD from the University of California, Davis.

Brian W. Jones was born on a military base in Austin, TX, and his family moved from Colorado to San Diego County when he was ten years old. He attended Grossmont College and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at San Diego State University. Brian has pursued many opportunities including general manager at a local pizza franchise, car salesman, associate pastor, and a commercial real estate agent. Brian and Heather met while working at the local pizza franchise.  They have been married for 28 years and currently live in Santee. They enjoy spending time with their three adult children Christopher, Matthew, Melina, and her husband, Justin. In his free time, Brian loves anything outdoors; he is an avid mountain biker, adventure motorcyclist, occasional hunter/angler, and is always trying to find time to explore every state park in California.

As an avid constitutionalist, Brian cares deeply about freedom and liberty. Driven by his commitment to improving the quality of life in his community, Brian first found his passion for public service as a Santee City Council Member from 2002-2010 and then again from 2017-2018.

Brian took this passion for his community to the state level when he was elected to represent California’s 77^st Assembly District from 2010-2012 and California’s 71^st Assembly District from 2012-2016. In the Assembly, Brian focused on creating a better economic environment for small businesses and supporting our Armed Forces members and veterans. He sponsored several notable legislative measures including his “Made in America” legislation, which makes it easier for manufacturers to do business in California, and legislation supporting the expansion of the craft beverage industry.

Brian has served in the California State Senate since 2018. He represented California’s 38^th Senate District from 2018-2022. In 2022, Brian was elected to represent California’s 40^th Senate District. Brian is proud to serve as the Senate Minority Leader of the California Senate Republican Caucus. He also serves as the co-Chair of the Senate Outdoor Sporting Caucus. In the Senate, he has sponsored legislation that tackles homelessness, keeps our communities safe, lowers the cost of living, and removes bureaucratic barriers for businesses and Californians. Brian is known for his Are You Kidding Me? videos that shine a light on the nonsensical policy often coming out of Sacramento.

In 2020, Brian was appointed to the California Commission on Disabilities and Access. Brian proudly serves as the Vice-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also sits on the Senate Insurance Committee and the Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

The 40^th Senate District encompasses Cities of Escondido, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, San Diego City communities of Carmel Mountain Ranch, Del Sur, MCAS Miramar, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos, Sabre Springs, Santa Luz, Scripps Ranch, San Pasqual Valley, Sorrento Valley, Torrey Hills, and University City, along with the San Diego County unincorporated communities of 4S Ranch, Alpine, Bonsall, Dehesa, Fallbrook, Harmony Grove, Hidden Meadows, Lakeside, Pala-Pauma, Pine Valley, Rainbow, Ramona, Twin Oaks, and Valley Center.

Cassandra Walker Pye is president for Lucas Public Affairs (LPA), a Sacramento-based public affairs consultancy. For 37 years, she has enjoyed a successful career in communications, government, politics, and advocacy for corporate interests in global, national, state, and local arenas. She joined PPIC’s board of directors in 2021, having previously served on the PPIC Statewide Leadership Council. In 2014, she launched  3.14 Communications, LLC.  Previously she was senior vice president for APCO Worldwide, a global strategic communications consultancy. In 2003, she was appointed deputy chief of staff to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and served on his transition team. She has served as corporate affairs vice president and political director for the California Chamber of Commerce, executive director for JobsPAC, director of public affairs for the California Retailers Association, director of governmental relations for the California Grocers Association, and state relations manager for the Food Marketing Institute. In 2018, she was named to a panel of California Influencers, 76 Californians selected by the Sacramento Bee and other McClatchy newspapers to offer their views on important issues facing the state in the lead up to the 2018 election; in 2019 she was again named to the panel. She is the immediate past state board president for California Women Lead. She currently serves as Sacramento board chair for Street Soccer USA, sits on the executive committee of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and is an American Leadership Forum senior fellow.