Sherri Lightner
Encyclopedia
Sherri Schuler Lightner (born 1950) is a San Diego, California
politician and community activist. She is the councilmember for San Diego City Council
District 1, elected to a four-year term in November 2008. She is a Democrat
, although council positions are officially nonpartisan per California state law. She and her husband live in La Jolla Shores.
According to the San Diego Association of Governments
,
Lightner's district has a population of 188,625 people. Council District 1 includes the communities of Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, the North City Future Urbanizing Area (Black Mountain Ranch, Del Mar Mesa, Pacific Highlands Ranch, and Torrey Highlands), most of La Jolla and Bird Rock, Rancho Peñasquitos, Rose Canyon, the lower San Dieguito River
Valley, Sorrento Hills, Sorrento Valley, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines, University City, and the University of California, San Diego
(UCSD) campus.
in 1950 as Sherri Ann Schuler. She moved to San Diego during elementary school and graduated from Crawford High School in San Diego. Lightner then went on to UCSD
where she received her B.A.
in Mathematics
and Sociology
and her M.S.
in Applied Mechanics
and Engineering
. She is licensed by the State of California as a Professional Mechanical Engineer.
Lightner worked in private industry as an engineer for 23 years. She started her professional career as an Engineering Aide at General Atomics
(GA), hired by the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Division after graduating from UCSD. Lightner later earned an M.S. degree from UCSD and worked as an engineer in the Structural Engineering
Department at General Atomics for eight years, and the company's Fusion
Division for another five years. She then accepted a senior engineering position with the Structural Dynamics
group at Rohr Industries to work on high velocity (ballistic) impact analysis. After five years at Rohr, Lightner returned to General Atomics to work on the New Production Reactor (NPR).
After another five years at General Atomics, Lightner retired from the engineering profession and formed with her husband a small technology hardware and software consulting firm. Lightner also took up public service work, serving as a volunteer for several San Diego nonprofit organizations. She was the president of the La Jolla Town Council and La Jolla Shores
Association and secretary for the La Jolla Community Planning Association.
or "member communication" money from the Republican and Democratic parties.
Lightner won the San Diego City Council general election in November with 51.9 percent of the vote, compared to Thalheimer's 48.1 percent. Lightner replaced termed-out San Diego City councilmember Scott Peters
on December 8, 2008. Lightner was elected to a four-year term.
Lightner is chair of the Land Use and Housing Committee. She also serves on the Budget and Finance Committee, the Natural Resources and Culture Committee, and the Rules, Open Government and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
politician and community activist. She is the councilmember for San Diego City Council
San Diego City Council
The San Diego City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of San Diego, California. The city councilmember seats are all officially non-partisan by state law. There are currently 8 members of the city council, which will be expanded to 9 members in 2012 under the terms of a...
District 1, elected to a four-year term in November 2008. She is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, although council positions are officially nonpartisan per California state law. She and her husband live in La Jolla Shores.
According to the San Diego Association of Governments
San Diego Association of Governments
The San Diego Association of Governments is an association of local San Diego County governments. It is the metropolitan planning organization for the County, with policy makers consisting of mayors, councilmembers, and a County Supervisors, and also has capital planning and fare setting powers...
,
Lightner's district has a population of 188,625 people. Council District 1 includes the communities of Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, the North City Future Urbanizing Area (Black Mountain Ranch, Del Mar Mesa, Pacific Highlands Ranch, and Torrey Highlands), most of La Jolla and Bird Rock, Rancho Peñasquitos, Rose Canyon, the lower San Dieguito River
San Dieguito River
The San Dieguito River is a major river in Southern California, USA. Its headwaters rise on the southern slope of the Volcan Mountains in San Diego County and the river flows generally southwest for , draining before emptying into the Pacific Ocean north of San Diego.-Course:The river officially...
Valley, Sorrento Hills, Sorrento Valley, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines, University City, and the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
(UCSD) campus.
Life and Career
Lightner was born in western PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1950 as Sherri Ann Schuler. She moved to San Diego during elementary school and graduated from Crawford High School in San Diego. Lightner then went on to UCSD
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
where she received her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and her M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Applied Mechanics
Applied mechanics
Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical application of mechanics. Applied mechanics examines the response of bodies or systems of bodies to external forces...
and Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. She is licensed by the State of California as a Professional Mechanical Engineer.
Lightner worked in private industry as an engineer for 23 years. She started her professional career as an Engineering Aide at General Atomics
General Atomics
General Atomics is a nuclear physics and defense contractor headquartered in San Diego, California. General Atomics’ research into fission and fusion matured into competencies in related technologies, allowing the company to expand into other fields of research...
(GA), hired by the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Division after graduating from UCSD. Lightner later earned an M.S. degree from UCSD and worked as an engineer in the Structural Engineering
Structural engineering
Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right....
Department at General Atomics for eight years, and the company's Fusion
Fusion power
Fusion power is the power generated by nuclear fusion processes. In fusion reactions two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus . In doing so they release a comparatively large amount of energy arising from the binding energy due to the strong nuclear force which is manifested...
Division for another five years. She then accepted a senior engineering position with the Structural Dynamics
Structural Dynamics
Structural dynamics is a subset of structural analysis which covers the behaviour of structures subjected to dynamic loading. Dynamic loads include people, wind, waves, traffic, earthquakes, and blasts. Any structure can be subject to dynamic loading. Dynamic analysis can be used to find dynamic...
group at Rohr Industries to work on high velocity (ballistic) impact analysis. After five years at Rohr, Lightner returned to General Atomics to work on the New Production Reactor (NPR).
After another five years at General Atomics, Lightner retired from the engineering profession and formed with her husband a small technology hardware and software consulting firm. Lightner also took up public service work, serving as a volunteer for several San Diego nonprofit organizations. She was the president of the La Jolla Town Council and La Jolla Shores
La Jolla Shores
La Jolla Shores is a beach and popular vacation/residential community of the same name in La Jolla, San Diego, California. The quaint La Jolla Shores business district is a relaxed, mixed-use village encircling Laureate Park,on Avenida de la Playa in the village of La Jolla Shores.The beach is...
Association and secretary for the La Jolla Community Planning Association.
San Diego City Council
Lightner was one of three candidates to represent San Diego City Council District 1 in the 2008 election. Lightner led the pack in the June primary, gaining 36.5 percent of the vote compared to her Phil Thalheimer's 33.8 percent and Marshall Merrifield's 29.5 percent. Since no candidate got a majority of the votes, Lightner and Thalheimer were forced into a runoff election. During the primaries, the three candidates spent just over $1 million, a record for City Council elections: between December 31, 2007 and June 30, 2008, Lightner spent $115,298, Thalheimer spent $359,678, and Merrifield spent $653,628. These amounts do not include any independent expenditureIndependent expenditure
-Definition:In elections in the United States, an independent expenditure is a political campaign communication which expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is not made in cooperation, consultation or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a...
or "member communication" money from the Republican and Democratic parties.
Lightner won the San Diego City Council general election in November with 51.9 percent of the vote, compared to Thalheimer's 48.1 percent. Lightner replaced termed-out San Diego City councilmember Scott Peters
Scott Peters (politician)
Scott Peters is a politician who represented for two terms. Elected to office in 2000 and then reelected in 2004, Peters was selected as the first San Diego City Council President in its history in 2005....
on December 8, 2008. Lightner was elected to a four-year term.
Lightner is chair of the Land Use and Housing Committee. She also serves on the Budget and Finance Committee, the Natural Resources and Culture Committee, and the Rules, Open Government and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
External links
- http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd1/ (City of San Diego Council District 1 Website)