Meet the Executive Board of the Progressive Caucus
An unrepentant activist for peace and social justice issues for many years and former Officer-at-Large of the Progressive Caucus, Karen Bernal is now serving as its Chair. As past E-Board Rep from the 5th AD, she co-authored an Iraq War Withdrawal plan which was presented to the CDP in 2006, and widely embraced by progressive Party activists. In Sacramento, she is an elected member of its Central Committee and belongs to a number of Democratic clubs. In California, she is the Northern California State Co-Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America. Her main areas of interest are foreign policy, Labor issues, and grassroots organizing. She was recently involved in the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s organizing drive for Rite-Aid and Blue Diamond Almonds, among others.
Ahjamu Makalani is a life long political activist and a member of SEIU local 1000, and is the Progressive Caucus’ Southern CA Vice-Chair. Ahjamu is an active member of Progressive Democrats of America, Valley Democrats United and the Inland Empire Debate Society. Ahjamu served as President of the Sacramento State Student Progressive Alliance. As a student, he was involved in the anti-apartheid movement and organizing to make ethnic studies and Gender studies a GE requirement for all students graduating from Sacramento State University. Ahjamu was a member of Students for Presidential Candidate Jessie Jackson, Secretary of the Pan African Student Union and a former member of the Sacramento Black Area Caucus. Ahjamu’s academic background is concentrated in the area of political science and ethnic studies.
A retired attorney, Mal Burnstein is the Northern CA Vice-Chair for the Progressive Caucus. As a long time activist in civil rights, civil liberties, peace and related activities, Mal has been active in progressive politics for over 60 years. He is the Co-founder and original Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus. Mal has been a member of the DSCC since 2005.
Dotty LeMieux was a co-founder of the Progressive Caucus and served as Officer at Large until elected Secretary in 2009. Dotty serves on the Marin Central Committee and is its E-Board Rep to the DSCC. She runs GreenDog Campaigns and Communications, a full service consulting firm serving progressive Democratic and non-partisan candidates all over the State and trains activists in all aspects of candidate and issue campaigns. Her website is www.greendogcampaigns,com. She is also an environmental and land use attorney, helping homeowners with tree, boundary and property issues and working with community groups protecting open space and preventing overdevelopment of sensitive areas.
Founder and Chair of Latinos for America, Ralph Miller is the new Treasurer of the Progressive Caucus and Treasurer of his 6th Assembly District Democratic Club (Marin-Sonoma). He has previously served as California 6th Assembly District Executive Board representative to the California Democratic Party and is an active member of the Hispanic, Progressive and Business & Professional caucuses. An Executive Producer by training and profession, Ralph began his grassroots organizing efforts during the Dean for President Campaign, and served as Hispanic Caucus Whip on staff for the Dean for DNC Chair race in 2004. He is also one of the original authors of the LFA and DFA Grassroots Training Curriculum, of the California 58-County Plan and a grassroots media trainer.
Jeffrey Killeen, Progressive Caucus Parliamentarian, is an attorney practicing primarily estate, tax, and Medi-Cal planning in Santa Cruz. He is the proud father of a 15-year-old son.
After the 2004 election, Mayme Hubert started a Take Back Red California Committee in her DFA-Marin Chapter. That committee joined forces with a similar group led by John Warren from East Bay for Democracy and TBRC was on its way. Mayme was also one of seven original founders of the Progressive Caucus of the CDP which met for the first time at the State Convention in 2005. She has been its Secretary, and is now an Officer-at-Large to continue work on the Caucus’ AD Lobbying Project.
Dr Bill Honigman, Officer-at-Large, has been a full time ER physician for over 25 years, and is a native of and current resident in Southern California. As past President of the South Orange County Democratic Club, past Treasurer, past Secretary, and current elected member of the Orange County Democratic Central Committee representing AD73, he is a beloved fixture on the scene for Progressive Democrats of America’s national “Healthcare not Warfare” campaign. Previously elected Delegate to the Democratic National Convention for Jerry Brown for President 1992, and appointed member of the Rules Committee for the 1996 Democratic National Convention, Dr Bill is presently Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) California State Coordinator and Orange County Chapter Leader.
J Brian Washman has made his career in publishing and media communications. In addition to his position of Officer-at-Large for the Progressive Caucus, he is serving his third term as DSCC delegate and second term as E-board Rep for the 4th AD, and is Chair of the 4th AD Democratic Council. He is Treasurer of the Auburn Area Democratic Club, having served previously as its Chair. An elected member of the Placer County Democratic Central Committee since 2004, Brian also serves on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation. He is a past Council Member of Take Back Red California, founding member of the Democratic Visibility Committee which drafted the original 58-county Plan, and past Editor of the California Democratic Dialogue. He currently lives with his partner of 11 years in Auburn, Placer County since relocating from San Francisco in 1999.
