Norma Damashek

Norma Damashek is President of the San Diego League of Women Voters.  As a long-time local activist, she has spearheaded community-based coalitions and served on numerous city and regional government committees and task forces.  Her special interests involve public decision-making regarding open government, affordable housing, fair elections, and most recently San Diego's transition to a strong mayor form of government. 

A native New Yorker, Norma has lived and worked in San Diego for the past three decades.  She received a master's degree in City Planning at SDSU.  The subject she explored in her master's thesis was the "micropolitics of planning" -- the complex relationship between city planning and local politics.

NORMA S. DAMASHEK
 ndamashek@ucsd.edu   
                                                                               
EDUCATION
Columbia University    Bachelor of Arts / Biology
Barnard College, New York

San Diego State University   Master's Degree / City Planning
School of Public Administration
San Diego

COMMUNITY & CITY GOVERNMENT

Vice-President and Director of Advocacy & Public Policy for San Diego League of Women Voters, promoting League positions on social, environmental, and governmental subjects including affordable housing, living wages, creation of ethics commission, sustainable growth, public parklands, land use planning, charter review, open government, and election reform.

Chairperson, Citizens Advisory Committee on Strong Mayor Transition, coordinate with the City Council and Dewey Square consultants to analyze governmental issues, identify City Charter parameters, create working timelines, and consider public input to facilitate a smooth transition to the new mayor-council system of government.

Steering Committee, San Diego Affordable Housing Coalition, founding member.

Legislative & Planning Analyst, San Diego City Council District 1, regional transportation and transit, zoning code update, MSCP, inclusionary housing task force, urban form, community planning.

Special Projects Assistant, City of San Diego Department of Community Planning & Economic Development, strategic neighborhood business development program, groundwork reports for initiating the strategic element of the General Plan update.

Campaign Manager, Board Candidate for San Diego Unified School District, successful outcome.

Board Member, La Jolla Community Planning Association, affordable housing, community plan update, by-laws.

Board Member, Citizens Coordinate (C-3), Centre City & affordable housing subcommittees

Chairperson, Board of Education Citizens Advisory Committee, facilitating the School District's voluntary enrollment program in local schools.