PPCC Announces Area, At-Large Representative Election Candidates

A Candidates Forum Will Take Place August 8; Electronic Voting is Set to Begin August 16

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Pacific Palisades Community Council announced candidates in the 2024 election of area and at-large representatives during its regular board meeting on Thursday, July 25, with voting set to start on August 16.

“We will have the upcoming election for the area and at-large board members who will be serving a two-year term,” PPCC Vice President Quentin Fleming said.

The PPCC board is comprised of a chair/president, vice-chair/vice-president, treasurer, secretary, chair emeritus, area and at-large representatives, representatives of various community organizations, and non-voting advisors/positions.

When it comes to uncontested seats, JoAnna Rodriguez is running to represent Area 1, Steve Cron for Area 2, Karen Ridgley for Area 4, Kimberly Bloom for Area 5, Sharon Kilbride for Area 7, Andrew Wolfberg for Area 8 and Chris Spitz for at-large representative.

Two seats will have a contested election: Joe Layton and Julia Nilsen for Area 3 (including Marquez Knolls, Sunset Boulevard from Palisades Drive to Bienveneda Avenue and Bel-Air Bay Club), and Lorie Cudzil and David Schwarz for Area 6 (including Temescal Canyon Road from the Pacific Ocean to Sunset Boulevard to Chautauqua Boulevard). Linda Friar withdrew as a candidate for Area 3, and Barbara Schelbert withdrew from the Area 6 race.

Each candidate—contested or not—put together a statement that has been posted by PPCC on its website.

For the contested Area 3 seat, as a parent of two boys—and a resident since December 2018—Layton said he is “very interested in the present and future” of the “wonderful community.” He has volunteered as a youth sports coach, adding he would “cherish the opportunity to expand” his involvement to representing Area 3 on PPCC.

Nilsen has been a Palisadian for over two decades—the last nine as a resident of Marquez Knolls. She is an attorney by profession, certified divorce coach and business entrepreneur, who has participated in PTA, active in fundraising, and on the Beverly Hills homeowners association board and board of The Special Needs Resource Center nonprofit.

Running to represent the other contested seat, Area 6, Cudzil has lived in the Palisades for 12 years, nine in the area.

“Throughout my time here, I have been concerned about issues affecting our neighborhood, including the construction of Potrero Canyon, the building of a bridge to the beach and safety on our streets,” Cudzil wrote. “I have attended several PPCC meetings over the years, both in person and online, to become more aware of specific issues and how they are impacting the Palisades.”

Schwarz has resided in Area 6 since October 2021, writing that he has “a longstanding interest in good government and civic participation,” including a “two-term gubernatorial appointee to the Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy, a.k.a. the California ‘Little Hoover’ Commission,” “member [of the] Beverly Hills Pension Reform Task Force,” and “presidential appointee to three U.S. Delegations to the UN Human Rights Commission.”

A two-week voting period will begin on Friday, August 16, at 8 a.m. and end Friday, August 30, at 9 p.m. The electronic ballot will be available on the PPCC website—which is “the only way to vote.” Campaigning is now underway.

Residents of Pacific Palisades may vote for the area representative in which their primary residence is located (a map is available at the PPCC website) and for the at-large candidate. Property owners and business operators may vote for the at-large representative. Voters must be 18 years old as of August 30, 2024.

A Candidates Forum will take place during the PPCC board meeting at Palisades Branch Library on Thursday, August 8, beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will also be available to attend via Zoom: A link will be posted on the PPCC website.

“During the forum, all candidates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves with brief remarks,” read information shared by PPCC. “Candidates in contested seats will then be posed a series of questions curated by the Election Committee and asked by the Election Committee Chair (one minute for each answer).”

Members of the audience who reside in Areas 3 or 6 will then be invited to ask additional questions to all candidates running in their respective area. At the end of the forum, all candidates will have a chance to make one-minute-or-less closing remarks.

“We hope you will attend our meetings, participate in PPCC and follow our work in the weeks and months ahead,” read a statement from PPCC. “Your voice, perspective and engagement informs our direction, and makes our advocacy stronger.”

For more information, including a link to the ballot starting August 16 and the full candidate statements, visit pacpalicc.org.