TITLE
Recommendation to receive Charter Commission appointments and reappointments approved by the Government, Personnel and Elections Oversight Committee pursuant to Section 509 of the City Charter and Section 2.03.065 of the Long Beach Municipal Code.
DISCUSSION
Appointments
Citizen Police Complaint Commission Charter
• Michael Soto – First term through June 2023
Michael Soto is a Council District 3 resident and has called Long Beach home for over 11 years. He
is a Police Special Investigator with the Los Angeles Office of the Inspector General, which provides
oversight to the Los Angeles Police Department on behalf of the Los Angeles Police Commission.
Michael is also a licensed attorney in California and has practiced law in the area of Criminal
Defense for over 10 years, primarily as a Deputy Public Defender in both Los Angeles and Orange
Counties. Michael is a graduate of University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San
Francisco.
• Dr. Merry Taheri – First term through June 2023
Dr. Merry Taheri is a resident of Council District 4 and is currently working as a Clinical
Director/Nurse Practitioner for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Dr. Teheri
has also served as a sexual assault forensic nurse completing exams and collecting forensic
evidence from both victims and suspects in collaboration with the LA County Sheriff’s
Department. Dr. Teheri holds a Doctorate in Nurse Practice from the University of California San
Francisco.
• Michael Bates – Serving partial term through June 2022
Michael Bates is a Council District 6 resident. He currently works as a Design and Environmental
Consulting Engineer at M.B. Technical Services. Mr. Bates previously served on the City’s Board of
Examiners, Appeals, and Condemnation as a member and later as Chair. Michael holds a
Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in Indiana.
• Michele Anderson – First term through June 2023
Michele Anderson is a Council District 8 resident. She is a prosecutor with the City of Los Angeles
working as a Deputy City Attorney in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Michele is a member
of the Sierra Club, Black Women Lawyers, NAACO Long Beach Chapter and is active is many other
organizations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UC Irvine and a Juris
Doctorate Degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles.
Planning Commission
• Alvaro Castillo – First term through June 2025
Alvaro Castillo is a 5th Council District resident. He previously served on the Airport Advisory
Commission. Mr. Castillo is a small business owner and parent to two Long Beach Unified School
District students. He is currently employed by Extended Stay America as the Divisional Director
for Human Resources in the Western United States. Alvaro holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach where he continues to be
involved in alumni activities.
Water Commission
• Courtni Pugh – Serving partial term through June 2025
A 2nd District resident, Courtni has lived in Long Beach for over 10 years. She is a partner at a
nationwide Public Affairs firm and leads their California operation. Prior to that, Courtni spent
over a decade working for organized labor and was the first woman and Asian American to serve
many roles, such as Executive Director of SEIU CA and Political Director for the Los Angeles County
Federation of Labor. She graduated with a B.A. from Ball State University in Muncie, IN.
Reappointments
Harbor Commission
• Bobby Olvera, Jr. – Reappointment to First term through June 2027
• Frank Colonna – Reappointment to First term through June 2027
Citizen Police Complaint Commission
• Veronica Garcia – Reappointment to Second term through August 2025
• Dana Buchannan – Reappointment to Second term through August 2025
Ethics Commission Charter
• Margo Morales – Reappointment to Second term through June 2025
• James P. Shotwell – Reappointment to Second term through June 2025
• Susan Wise – Reappointment to Second term through June 2025
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DARYL SUPERNAW, CHAIR
GOVERNMENT, PERSONNEL AND ELECTIONS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE