Jerilyn Lopez Mendoza has over 20 years of professional experience as an environmental advocate, government official and utility employee. She has built a large network of climate and environmental advocates as well as other community leaders to connect with The Climate Center. Jerilyn has served as an appointed official on the international, state and city levels, including as City of Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner and Public Works Commissioner. For her hard work in her various professional capacities, Jerilyn has been the recipient of awards from, among others, the Coalition for Clean Air as well as the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters (the Smith-Weiss Award) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law. She earned her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Stanford University and her Juris Doctorate from the UCLA School of Law (California bar number 187148). Jerilyn lives in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles with her husband and teen daughter, where she served on her Neighborhood Council, and they enjoy gardening, attending community cultural events and following local sports teams.