Toni Atkins

Toni Atkins
Member of the California State Assembly from the 76th district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Lori Saldaña
Member of San Diego City Council from the 3rd district
In office December 4, 2000 – December 8, 2008
Preceded by	Christine Kehoe
Succeeded by	Todd Gloria
Acting Mayor of San Diego
In office July 18, 2005 – December 5, 2005
Preceded by	Michael Zucchet (acting)
Succeeded by	Jerry Sanders
Personal details
Born	August 1, 1962 (1962-08-01) Wythe County, Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Domestic partner	Jennifer LeSar
Residence	San Diego, California
Alma mater	Emory and Henry College Harvard University
Website	atkinsforassembly.com

Toni G. Atkins (born August 1, 1962) is an American Democratic politician and a member of the California State Assembly from San Diego's 76th district. She formerly served on San Diego City Council, leaving office in December 2008 due to term limits. She currently serves as the Assembly's majority whip.

She was born in Wythe County in southwest Virginia and earned a BA in political science from Emory and Henry College, focusing on community organizing. She later attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Atkins relocated to San Diego in 1985. She ended up staying permanently. She joined the staff of Womancare Health Center as Director of Clinic Services. Atkins served as council representative and policy analyst to Councilmember Christine Kehoe for a number of years. When Kehoe was elected to the state legislature, Atkins was elected to Kehoe's seat on November 7, 2000. She was reelected in March 2004, without the need for a November runoff.

In April 2005 Mayor Dick Murphy resigned due to ethics scandals. Councilmember Michael Zucchet, who was deputy mayor, took over, but three days later, resigned along with Councilmember Ralph Inzunza after they were convicted of wire fraud and Hobbs Act violations. In an emergency vote on July 19, Atkins was chosen by the other five council members to take over as mayor pro-tem for one week. On July 25 they reaffirmed their choice and designated Atkins deputy mayor to serve until Jerry Sanders was sworn in as mayor on December 5. Atkins was the first openly lesbian mayor of San Diego.

Whilst on the council, she represented the City of San Diego at the San Diego Chapter of the League of Cities as well as on the board and executive committee of the Metropolitan Transit System. She sat on the San Diego Association of Governments (SanDAG) Regional Housing Working Group, as an alternate to the Transportation Committee and the Regional Planning Committee, and the City/County Joint Homeless Task Force. She continues to serve on the San Diego River Conservancy as an appointee of former California State Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson.

She lists among her priorities affordable housing, workers' rights, neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment of San Diego's older urban neighborhoods.

Atkins is a lesbian. She is one of eight openly LGBT members of the California Legislature, alongside Speaker John Pérez (D–Los Angeles), Assemblymembers Tom Ammiano (D–San Francisco), Cathleen Galgiani (D–Livingston), Ricardo Lara (D–Bell Gardens) and Rich Gordon (D–Menlo Park), as well as Senators Christine Kehoe (D–San Diego) and Mark Leno (D–San Francisco).

Atkins is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Award from the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund in honor of her recent service to the city of San Diego as deputy mayor. She is a resident of the South Park neighborhood.

External links

• Official website
• Campaign website

Political offices
Preceded by Michael Zucchet (acting)	Acting Mayor of San Diego, California 2005 (July–Dec.)	Succeeded by Jerry Sanders