Mark Ridley-Thomas often referred to by his initials, MRT, is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:*District 1: Gloria Molina...

 for District 2, who succeeded Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke

Yvonne Brathwaite Burke

Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is a politician from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. She was the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 2nd District . She has served as the Chair three times . She was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress...

. He previously served as a California State Senator

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

 representing the 26th district

California's 26th State Senate district

California's 26th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Curren D. Price, Jr. of Los Angeles, who won the special election to replace Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas who resigned upon his election as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of...

 from 2006 to 2008 and was a California State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

man representing the 48th district

California's 48th State Assembly district

California's 48th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Mike Davis of Los Angeles.-District profile:...

 from 2002 until 2006. He was Chairman of the Assembly Democratic Caucus. Before his six years in the Legislature

California State Legislature

The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...

, he served on the Los Angeles City Council

Los Angeles City Council

The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...

 from 1991 to 2002.
Ridley-Thomas is a graduate of Manual Arts High School

Manual Arts High School

Manual Arts High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California. When founded, Manual Arts was a vocational high school, but later converted to a traditional curriculum.-History:...

 in Los Angeles and earned a baccalaureate degree in Social Relations and a master's degree in Religious Studies from Immaculate Heart College

Immaculate Heart College

Immaculate Heart College was a private, Catholic college located in Los Angeles, California.The college was established in 1916 by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ten years after they had founded Immaculate Heart High School on the property....

.