MEET OUR TEAM
Denise Robb
Denise Robb is a lifelong activist. Recently, she was involved in the successful Measure H rent control campaign in Pasadena. She is a proud PTA parent and former PTA President whose son attends Blair Middle/High School, a public school in Pasadena. Professor Robb has a Master’s and Ph.D. in political science. She teaches at Pierce College and is the student advisor to the Pierce College Democrats.
Dr. Robb is a suicide prevention trainer at Pierce, an active union member with the American Federal of Teachers, an environmentalist, supporter of LGBTQIA rights, an anti-racism advocate and an animal rescuer with five cats.
Steve Gibson (re-elect), Author and Educator
Steve Gibson is an educator and a published author of 20 fiction and academic books, including an academic book about international ethnic conflict. He helped Bernie win California in 2020 as staff organizer. If elected, Steve will push for redirecting public safety to reduce reliance on police and jails. Steven is an organizer within the Asian and Pacific Islander community, and DSA-LA. Steve serves as Pasadena City College Board of Trustee member.
Cindy Montoya
As an educator, gun violence survivor, and the Moms Demand Action State Survivor Co-lead, Cindy Montoya has been pivotal in addressing gun violence through legislative change at the local and state levels. This includes working with school boards to take action on secure firearm storage and helping to increase funding for grassroots community-based violence intervention and prevention programs. If re-elected, Cindy will continue to fight for common-sense gun safety laws and support legislation that invests in the root causes of gun violence.
Ryan Bell, Tenant Organizer
Ryan is the Southern California Regional Coordinator with Tenants Together. He has been involved in organizing housing justice and other social justice campaigns in Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley for the past 15 years. While he was a pastor in Los Angeles he was a clergy organizer with LA Voice PICO and served as the chair of the clergy caucus for several years.
Ryan has also been the Director of Community of Engagement at PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), and is currently a member organizer with the Pasadena Tenants Union and a Pasadena City Commissioner on the Northwest Commission.
Dr. Yarma Velazquez
Vargas is a professor of Chicanx Studies at CSUN. She is a CFA union member and was recently elected as a Trustee for the Pasadena Unified School District. Yarma is an author and a parent. Yarma believes we must invest in the well-being of children and young people. Yarma will advocate for equitable access to health care, food, and public education.
Ethan Reznik
Ethan Reznik spent the entirety of 2022 successfully advancing the campaigns of Democratic candidates, including Assessor Jeffrey Prang, Los Angeles Community College Trustee candidate Sara Hernandez, and Three Valleys Water Board candidate Jeff Hanlon, unseating two Republican incumbents in the process. As a disability housing advocate, he is working to enhance the Democratic Party's position on policies for housing low-income individuals who suffer from mental illness.
Brandon Lamar
Brandon Lamar is currently on the boards of Black Los Angeles Young Democrats and California Young Democrats. He is also the Founder and President of the Pasadena Young Democrats, which focuses on developing young people to be civically and politically engaged in local government.