Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin is one of the challengers for City Council in the forthcoming election, and she told the News about her accomplishments, qualifications, and policies…
What accomplishments and experiences make you a great candidate for City Council?
I believe I will excel as a City Council Member due to my deep connections to Culver City. For the past 24 years, my family and I have called Culver City home, raising our three daughters who attended local schools from K-12. I’ve served our community in various capacities—from grassroots organizing to volunteering in our schools and school district, and serving on the Cultural Affairs Commission. These experiences, filled with collaboration, compassion, and connectivity, have uniquely prepared me to represent our community and make decisions that reflect our shared values.
I started as a volunteer at El Marino, served on the PTA, advocated for expanding the Spanish immersion program to La Ballona, and participated on the Panther Partners board and the CCHS Booster Club board. I also sat on the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee for the $106 million facilities bond and contributed to the District Arts Team and Career Technical Education advisory panel, focusing on enhancing educational opportunities for all students.
As a grassroots organizer, I co-founded three organizations to address key issues impacting our parks, schools, and neighborhoods. One notable achievement is co-founding Culver City Great Parks with Dan O’Brien (now Vice Mayor), a nonprofit focused on improving parks and playgrounds. Additionally, I co-organized a school safety forum after the Sandy Hook tragedy, uniting city officials and community members to discuss school safety and gun violence prevention. I also co-founded my neighborhood organization to foster community engagement and address local concerns.
During my eight years on the Cultural Affairs Commission, I co-directed over $1 million in matching grants to nonprofit performing arts organizations, co-wrote the successful Artist Laureate program, and helped relaunch the Summer Sunset Concert Series. These efforts contributed significantly to both our local economy and community well-being, especially given that over 14% of Culver City’s economy is linked to the creative sector.
My professional background equips me for the City Council by providing me with strong skills in strategic planning and problem-solving. I hold an MBA from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising from the University of Illinois. My career encompasses leadership roles, including Managing Director of a nonprofit theater, VP of Operations for a global organization, and consultant across various industries.
As the only union member in this race, I bring over two decades of experience as a proud SAG-AFTRA member, serving on both the Women’s Committee and the Government Affairs and Public Policy Committee. I’ve fought for fair working conditions for arts workers and am honored to be the only candidate endorsed by the LA Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO), which represents over 800,000 workers, as well as the Culver City Chamber of Commerce. This support from both labor and business provides a balanced perspective on the needs of working families and local businesses.
With my deep roots in the community and diverse career, I understand the challenges our city faces on a granular level. I’m committed to advocating for affordable housing, improving parks and public spaces, and ensuring public safety through creative solutions. Together, we can help Culver City thrive as a place we are all proud to call home.
What do you believe has been your greatest achievement?
I feel incredibly fortunate to have a beautiful family and a wonderful circle of cherished friends. I believe my most significant accomplishment is the decision to move to Culver City and raise my family here. I am grateful that my daughters grew up in this vibrant community, attended our excellent public schools, and formed lifelong friendships. I’ve lived in Culver City longer than any place I’ve lived in my entire life, allowing me to build deep roots and engage meaningfully with the community I love. This commitment drives my desire to give back and contribute to the continued growth and success of our city for future generations.
What issues are you running on?
With its tree-lined streets, green parks, great schools, vibrant downtown, and unparalleled creative economy, it’s no wonder that Culver City continues to rank as the place to be. In the last decade or so, we’ve gone from a small town to a bustling, modern city. With that growth comes new challenges and opportunities. My platform focuses on serving our community with compassionate and collaborative solutions to address them.
I’m focused on the regional issues that also affect our city, like promoting much-needed affordable housing and continuing to address the humanitarian crisis of homelessness by supporting plans and policies that prevent homelessness in the first place while providing shelter and wraparound services to those in need. I’ve received the endorsement of LA Mayor Karen Bass, and I look forward to working with her and her office on even more collaboration.
I’m also passionate about neighborhood safety and ensuring our first responders have the resources they need to keep emergency response times low, protect against and solve crimes, and keep kids safe at schools—all while maintaining the transparency and accountability that we require. Additionally, I plan to tackle traffic safety and flow, ensuring smooth access for everyone, regardless of their means of travel by bike, foot, or car.
I will focus on often overlooked neighborhoods where children live farther from their schools, ensuring that all areas of our city are accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities—physical, cognitive, or otherwise. This includes exploring ways to add more green spaces and increase community engagement.
I am committed to growing our creative economy, which is a vital part of Culver City’s identity and economic landscape. As the only union member in this race, with support from unions and the Culver City Chamber of Commerce, I will continue to focus on supporting the small businesses that make up the backbone of our economy.
This is in tandem with my plans to support the arts, uplift women and girls, expand mental health and wellness services, and create placemaking spaces and activities for families, teens, and seniors.
How do you rate the current council?
I have a lot of respect for the council’s and city staff’s leadership in initiating the mental health crisis team and helping our unhoused population find shelter through our emergency declaration. These are critical steps that have made a real difference in our community, showing a strong commitment to addressing some of our most urgent needs. Additionally, I am encouraged by the plan to extend the shared bus/bike lane from the Arts District to Los Angeles, further enhancing our network of connected communities.
If I were to express a critique, it would be the reluctance of some council members to listen to our community when making decisions—the MOVE project comes to mind, for instance. In today’s world, we have access to valuable information and research that can guide thoughtful, evidence-based policies. It’s crucial that we rely on these tools to shape solutions that truly benefit everyone in Culver City.
That’s why I’m committed to transparency and accountability and truly listening to every community in our city, while ensuring our council remains focused on informed, well-reasoned decision-making that serves the community as a whole.
Should you win, what will you be focusing on in your first year?
As a creative with an MBA, I firmly believe that integrating artists into all levels of government enriches our communities, promotes social change, and fosters creativity in policymaking. This perspective shapes my commitment to addressing the issues that matter most to our residents.
I will prioritize housing affordability, homelessness, traffic gridlock, neighborhood and pedestrian safety, climate resilience, and supporting our local economy. I’ll work to expand affordable housing options while ensuring that current residents are not displaced. For new developments, I will ensure that residents in affected areas are partners in the planning process from the outset, fostering a trusting relationship between developers and the community.
I’ll continue to support wraparound services for the unhoused and advocate for more funding for our mobile mental health crisis team, ensuring they are available 24/7—because mental health crises don’t follow business hours. My long involvement in our schools and city government equips me to facilitate collaboration with the school district on traffic, bike, and pedestrian safety improvements, especially near schools. This includes ensuring ADA compliance for crosswalks and auditing traffic signals to optimize their timing.
I will also work to pressure the county and state for Culver City’s fair share of Measure H funding, as the homelessness crisis is a regional issue that requires collective action.
Additionally, I’ll advocate for more transparency in government, ensuring that residents are informed and engaged in decision-making. This includes pushing for a Culver City Lobby Registry to promote integrity and public confidence in our elected leaders by requiring lobbyists to register and disclose their advocacy efforts.
I’m passionate about advocating for the arts and believe that with the upcoming Olympics, we have a unique opportunity to enhance our city’s entrances with artistic and welcoming projects. I’m also excited about engaging the community in discussions about what we can do with the former gun store property.
Having spent my lifetime advocating for the needs of women and girls, I’m committed to implementing programs that ensure equity and expand opportunities for all. If you are a renter, homeowner, small business owner, arts worker, or parent, I understand your challenges and am ready to serve on Culver City Council to fight for you. There is so much to do, and if we work together, we can accomplish it all.
These are divided political times for all sorts of reasons, local, national, and international. What is your overall message to voters?
My message to voters is clear: we must first recognize what unites us here in Culver City. We face significant challenges together, and it’s vital that we avoid dividing our community with false choices that fail to address our needs. Culver City’s strength lies in its diversity and our shared commitment to building a better community. We can all agree on the importance of fairness, inclusivity, and creating opportunities for everyone.
Real change comes from collaboration and compassion, grounded in the values that matter most. As your councilmember, I will listen to all voices and work tirelessly to ensure that our city meets the needs of residents, businesses, workers, and the visitors who enjoy our beautiful city. Together, we can build a future that reflects our shared values and aspirations, making Culver City a place where everyone thrives.
The City Council and Presidential election day is November 5. For all of the appropriate information, including how to register, visit lavote.gov. Visit jeannine4culvercity.com for more information about Wisnosky Stehlin’s campaign.