Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

Ben grew up in our community, attending District schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, serving as Student Body President at Samohi before going on to pursue higher education. He is fluent in Spanish, a former UC Regent, an attorney, and adjunct faculty at UCLA Law School, where he teaches education law and policy, and also Santa Monica College, where he teaches public policy.

Local Positions

School Board Member, 2008-Present Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce Education Committee Los Angeles County Office of Education Committee on School Board Organization Los Angeles County School Trustees Assocation Board of Directors Santa Monica College General Advisory Board Lifetime Member, Samohi Alumni Association SMMUSD Financial Oversight Committee, 2006-2008 Santa Monica College Bond Oversight Committee, 2007-2008 Volunteer, Measures R and ES Community Organizer, Los Angeles Unified School District, Measure K, Fall 2002

Work Experience

Elected Member, Board of Education, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, 2008 - present Adjunct Faculty, UCLA Law School, 2011 - present Attorney, Richardson and Patel LLP, 2011 - present Los Angeles Managing Director / General Counsel, Spark Los Angeles 2010 - 2011 Attorney, Bryan Cave, 2008 - 2010 Regent, University of California, 2006 - 2008 12th Grade Instructor, Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, 2007 - 2008 Summer Associate, Bryan Cave LLP, 2007 Judicial Clerk, U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, 2006 Press Secretary, U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY), 2004 - 2005 Development work in Latin America, National Democratic Institute, 2001 - 2004 Policy Intern, L.A. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, 1998, 1999 Kindergarten and 3rd Grade Teacher, Harvard Hillel Childrens' School (Hebrew School), 1996-98, 1999-2000

Education

UC Berkeley Law School (Boalt Hall) JD, research on law and politics of California's school finance system, 2008

Cambridge University M.Phil., Latin American Studies, 2001

Harvard University, BA magna cum laude, History, 2000 (study abroad-Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico)

Santa Monica High School Class of 1996, Student Body President, Troop 2 Eagle Scout, Homecoming King, Captain Hook in Peter Pan

Lincoln Middle School (Santa Monica)

Franklin Elementary School (Santa Monica)