Karen Bass

Karen Bass assumed office as mayor of Los Angeles, California, on Dec. 12, 2022, the first woman elected as mayor of that city. Previously, Bass served in the U.S. House of Representatives for California from 2011-2023.

Bass was born October 3, 1953, in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from the USC Keck School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program in 1982, from California State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences in 1990, and from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in social work in 2015. She was a physician's assistant and clinical instructor at USC's Keck School of Medicine's Physician Assistant Program. In 1990, Bass co-founded the Community Coalition, a community-based social justice organization focused on addiction and gang violence.

From 2005-2010, Bass served in the California Assembly, serving as speaker her last two years, the first African American woman to serve as speaker of a state legislative chamber.

In 2019, Bass became chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

For more information on Bass' policy subject areas, committee appointments and sponsored/co-sponsored legislation during her time in the U.S. House of Representatives, please visit her profile on https://www.congress.gov.

Sources:

Ballotpedia (n.d.). Karen Bass. Retrieved on Oct. 8, 2020, from https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Bass.

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (n.d.). Bass, Karen. Retrieved on October 8, 2020, from https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/B/BASS,-Karen-(B001270)/.

Karen Bass. (n.d.). Representative Karen Bass. Retrieved on Oct. 8, 2020 from https://bass.house.gov/about/biography.