Bich Ngoc
Cao
President
Term Ending: 6-30-23
Bích Ngọc Cao is a digital media and marketing executive whose career spans startups, media, entertainment, government and nonprofits. She currently serves as Senior Advisor, Communications, for the Office of the Superintendent at the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Previously, she was COO at Define American, the nation’s leading nonprofit media and culture change organization that fights injustice and anti-immigrant hate through the power of storytelling. Prior to Define American, Bích Ngọc led special projects at the Los Angeles Times, where she worked with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Jonathan Gold and Jose Antonio Vargas on building new digital initiatives. She began her career at MySpace, launching the original MySpace Music and leading editorial as a core member of the team that built a fledgling social network into a global entertainment destination. After MySpace, Bích Ngọc joined Bobby Shriver and Bono to co-found and launch (RED), a unique product partnership amongst global brands such as Apple, Gap, Converse, and American Express. As of December 2018, (RED) has generated $600 million to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. She served as digital marketing director at Capitol Music Group’s Harvest Records and Warner Bros. Records, where she created campaigns for artists such as TV On The Radio, Banks, The New Basement Tapes (featuring Elvis Costello and Marcus Mumford), and The Veronicas.
She serves on the board of directors of Mother Jones, a reader-supported investigative news organization, as well as the board of advisors for the Climate Emergency Fund and Define American. Bích Ngọc wrote an essay about online organizing in the New York Times-bestselling book “MoveOn’s 50 Ways to Love Your Country.”
Kathryn Eidmann
Vice President
Term Ending: 6-30-26
Kathryn Eidmann is Director of Litigation at Public Counsel, the nation's largest pro bono public interest law firm. Kathryn leads and directs Public Counsel’s impact litigation across its eight legal projects. Kathryn previously served as the Supervising Senior Attorney of Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law , where she developed, led, and supervised complex impact litigation to advance economic and racial justice.
Kathryn has litigated major cases in the areas of education equity, children’s rights, gender discrimination, criminalization of poverty, immigrants’ rights, housing and homelessness, and the rights of low-wage workers. She has particular expertise in litigation and advocacy to reform education, child welfare, and other systems to address the needs of children impacted by trauma. In 2019, she received a California Lawyer of the Year award for her appellate advocacy in People v. Duenas, a landmark California Court of Appeal opinion establishing that courts may not impose mandatory court fees on indigent criminal defendants.
In addition to her work at Public Counsel, Kathryn teaches in the Appellate Litigation Clinic at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, where she has previously taught education equity and gender discrimination law. She is a frequent speaker on education equity and economic justice issues, and her work has been covered by national and local news media, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, and PBS News Hour. Kathryn was previously appointed to the Commission for Community and Family Services, advising the City of Los Angeles on issues of poverty and the needs of children, youth, and their families.
Kathryn previously practiced law at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP and served as a law clerk for Judge Thomas B. Griffith of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School.
Linda Blank
Commissioner
Term Ending: June 30, 2024
Valerie Lynne Shaw
Commissioner
Term Ending: June 30, 2025
Hiram Sims
Commissioner
Term Ending: June 30, 2027
In Memory
Josefa
Salinas
Commissioner
Term: September 19, 2013 - November 15, 2022
Josefa Salinas was one of the few on air personalities in the radio industry with successful runs in Adult Contemporary, Urban, Urban AC, Hip-Hop, Jazz, News, Talk and Crossover formats. This breakthrough Latina continued to delight fans on L.A.'s HOT 92.3 while also serving them in her role as the stations' Community Affairs Director. Josefa's innovative thinking and strategic community partnerships and alliances led the station to win the coveted "NAB Crystal Award" in 2007 and 2014.
From 1993-1997, Josefa became known as the "Angelita de la Noche" at L.A.'s POWER 106, and created their "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" Foundation. Josefa joined L.A.'s HOT 92.3 in the summer of 2001, where she hosted a daily segment on the top rated morning show. She was the host and producer of the highly acclaimed talk show "The Community Review" that aired weekly. Her non-profit foundation, The Pursuit of Excellence Institute, focuses on providing resources and support to help empower under privileged young men and women in Southern California.
In 2013, Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Josefa Salinas to the Board of Library Commissioners at the Los Angeles Public Library where she continued to apply her community experience and expertise in revamping library programs. In 2014, Josefa was added to the prestigious roster of women accepted into the Latina Global Executive Leadership Program sponsored by USC's Marshall School of Business.
In 2014, the National Diversity Council selected Josefa as one of 2014's Most Powerful and Influential Women. In addition to this prestigious award, she was awarded the National Latina Business Woman of the Year in Broadcasting in 2007, the Spirit of Peace award in 2008, and in 2010, and she received the President's Volunteer Service Award recognizing her unending dedication to her community.
When asked about her philosophy, Josefa stated, "It is my responsibility to be the voice of those who cannot be heard. To represent the listeners' opinions, celebrations, and concerns. My dream is to continue to provide needed assistance nationwide and give the underserved a voice."
Josefa was a graduate of the HOPE Leadership Institute Class of 2007 and an alumni of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She resided in Los Angeles with her family and pets.