Toni Atkins
| Toni Atkins | |
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| Member of the California State Senate from the 39th district |
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Assumed office December 5, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Marty Block |
| 69th Speaker of the California Assembly | |
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In office May 12, 2014 – March 7, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | John Pérez |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Rendon |
| Majority Leader of the California State Assembly | |
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In office September 1, 2012 – May 12, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Calderon |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Perez |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 78th district 76th district (2010–2012) |
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In office December 6, 2010 – November 30, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Lori Saldaña |
| Succeeded by | Todd Gloria |
| Interim Mayor of San Diego | |
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In office July 18, 2005 – December 5, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Zucchet (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Sanders |
| Member of San Diego City Council from the 3rd district |
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In office December 4, 2000 – December 8, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Christine Kehoe |
| Succeeded by | Todd Gloria |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 1, 1962 Wythe County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jennifer LeSar |
| Alma mater |
Emory and Henry College Harvard University |
Toni G. Atkins (born August 1, 1962) is an American Democratic politician from San Diego, California. She was the Speaker of the California State Assembly and is currently a member of the California State Senate representing the 39th district.
In January 2014 she was elected by the Democratic caucus to be the next Speaker of the Assembly, and on March 17, 2014, she was unanimously elected Speaker by the full Assembly. She was the third woman and the first acknowledged lesbian to be elected to that position. She was the first lawmaker from San Diego to be elected Speaker. She formerly served on the San Diego City Council from 2000 to 2008, including a term as Acting Mayor. She served as the acting governor of California for nine hours on July 30, 2014, making her the first openly gay governor of California.
She was born in poverty in Wythe County in southwest Virginia. Her father was a miner and her mother a seamstress; she grew up in a home with no running water. She earned a BA in political science from Emory and Henry College, focusing on community organizing. She later attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Atkins relocated to San Diego in 1985.
When she first came to San Diego, she joined the staff of Womancare Health Center as Director of Clinic Services. She then served for a number of years as council representative and policy analyst to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe. When Kehoe was elected to the state legislature, Atkins was elected to Kehoe's City Council seat on November 7, 2000. She was reelected in March 2004, without the need for a November runoff.
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