Bonnie Lowenthal

Bonnie Lowenthal

Assemblymember, State of California (Ret.); Commissioner, Port of Long Beach
1974, Master of Science, Psychology, CSULB
1961, Bachelor of Science, Sociology, University of Wisconsin

A community activist for most of her life, Bonnie Lowenthal has an extraordinary 40-year record (elected and non-elected) of public service that has benefited people in Long Beach and throughout California.  She was appointed to the California High Speed Rail Authority by the Speaker of the State Assembly in 2016 and to the Board of Harbor Commissioners by Mayor Garcia in 2017, where she currently oversees projects for the Port of Long Beach.

While serving in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014, Lowenthal authored 79 bills — including many that offered support to underserved communities — signed by the Governor.  Prior to that, she served on the Long Beach City Council and as Vice Mayor of Long Beach, implementing policies that significantly reduced air pollution at the Port and establishing the first city-administered overnight shelter for single men and women. In 1994, she was elected to the first of two terms on the LBUSD Board of Education. 

Before entering the political arena, Lowenthal worked with the local Cambodian community, eventually traveling to Cambodia, where she served as part of a Red Cross contingent investigating the proliferation of war-era landmines and, later, as an official elections observer.

A licensed family counselor, mental health consultant, and educator, Lowenthal continues to serve on several nonprofit boards, including those of LINC Housing and U.S. VETS, that address the needs of vulnerable populations.