Nancy Skinner
In November 2008, Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) was elected to represent the Bay Area’s 14th Assembly District. The district includes Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo and parts of Oakland and El Sobrante.
As a freshman legislator, Assemblymember Skinner was named Chair of the Natural Resources Committee. The Committee’s jurisdiction includes water and air quality, recycling, waste management, energy issues including efficiency, power plant siting, and energy development, oil spills, wild and scenic rivers, forestry, open space conservation and, oversight of California’s global warming solutions act.
Assemblymember Skinner brings to the Assembly experience as a small business owner. Early in her career, she served on the Berkeley City Council and was responsible for many of Berkeley’s groundbreaking environmental policies, including initiating economic development strategy and waterfront protection policies. Her introduction of Berkeley’s 1988 ban on Styrofoam was the first in the nation.
A nationally renowned leader in the fight against global warming, she founded ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, an organization dedicated to helping local governments around the world become environmental leaders. As Executive Director of ICLEI’s U.S. office, she launched the Cities for Climate Protection Program, the national movement of Mayors and cities working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that now involves over 500 cities and counties.
As the U.S. Director of The Climate Group, Assemblymember Skinner worked with Fortune 500 companies, clean tech industries and state and national leaders to pass groundbreaking legislation such as California’s global warming bill, AB 32. With a team of writers at Earthworks Press, she also wrote and published the best selling book series 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth.
Prior to being elected to the State Assembly, Assemblymember Skinner served on the Board of the East Bay Regional Parks District. With 100,000 acres of parklands and open space, the District is the largest urban park system in the United States. There, she worked to protect open space, add acres of additional parks, and expand recreational opportunities for youth and schools.
Assemblymember Skinner is also a Member of the Utilities and Commerce, Public Safety, Local Government, and Appropriations Committees.
Assemblymember Skinner received both her Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and her Masters in Education from University of California, Berkeley. Her husband, Lance Brady, is retired from the Information Technology Office at the City of Berkeley and her daughter Sirona is a chef in Oakland.