Tani Cantil-Sakauye is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, where she holds the Walter and Esther Hewlett Chair in Understanding California’s Future. 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.

Heath Flora represents California’s 9th Assembly District and serves as the minority floor leader. He is vice chairman of the committees on natural resources and labor & employment as well as sitting on the Agriculture, Rules, and Business & Professions committees. His legislation has established a statewide firefighter apprenticeship program, provided greater access to individuals’ vital records, and set safety standards pertaining to electric motorized scooters. A life-long farmer, he is a director for international sales at the Exact Corporation, a family-owned business that manufactures innovative products for both nut harvesting and equipment for firefighting. He has worked with CALFIRE for over fifteen years, serving as volunteer firefighter, engineer, captain, and battalion chief.

José Luis Solache, Jr. is the assemblymember for California Assembly District 62, which includes the communities of Lakewood, Lynwood, Paramount, and Bellflower. He has served as a mayor, mayor pro-tem, and councilmember in the city of Lynwood since 2013. Prior to his service in city government, he served for three terms on the Lynwood Unified School District’s Board of Education. He earned a BA degree in liberal studies from California State University, Dominguez Hills, where he served two terms as Student Body President and as statewide chair of the California State Student Association.