Meet Trish
Community members reach out to Trish for assistance, guidance and support. Many do not know how to navigate City Hall and government for services. It is because of Trish's unique background of 25+ years serving as an elected official and volunteering in Alameda that she usually can help them connect the dots.
We're fortunate to live in Alameda with its many service organizations. Trish knows many of the organizations and volunteers personally. She was Alameda's first Councilmember to also be a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer. She has also volunteered with Alameda Architectural Preservation Society, Alameda Museum, Kiwanis, Rotary, Meals on Wheels, Peralta Colleges Foundation Board, Relay for Life (Trish is a breast cancer survivor), AUSD Wellness Committee, and Kids Chalk Art Project Steering Committee (World's Largest Chalk Drawing). Her work as an elected official complements these organizations for the betterment of our community. As such, she's been instrumental in the success of many community efforts: e.g., Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS), Jean Sweeney Open Space Park, The Ocean Cleanup, Wild Oyster Project and the naming of Svendsen Maritime Park.
She's also Alameda's first and only Hispanic Mayor and Councilmember. She was raised in South Gate, southeast of downtown Los Angeles, one of five children, attended public schools, and graduated from South Gate High School. Trish was raised in a proud union family. Her father worked multiple jobs when she was young until he started with Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, became a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and after decades of service proudly retired. She was the first in her family to go straight from high school to university, graduating from U.C. Berkeley. Then, she attended night classes at Santa Ana College and U.C. Irvine earning her Paralegal Certificate and at Western State College of Law, earning her juris doctorate – all while working full-time. She passed the California State Bar her first try. She is an attorney by profession, has practiced business litigation and family law, and offers pro bono legal services including to victims of domestic violence.
Trish married her college sweetheart and has been happily married for over 40 years. She and her husband raised their family in Alameda. Their daughters attended Alameda public schools, graduating from Alameda High, Encinal High, and Alameda Community Learning Center. Trish volunteered extensively at their schools and extracurricular activities, such as Girl Scout Leader, Alameda PTA Council President (overseeing all of AUSD's PTAs), Co-Chair Encinal High Athletic Boosters and Football snack shack volunteer, School Site Council Chair at Earhart Elementary, ACLC Parent Track Coach, and Art docent at Earhart and Haight (now Love) Elementary schools. Their daughters graduated from Harvard College and U.C. Santa Cruz and they're proud Coast Guard parents.
Trish is a proud and humble recipient of the U.S. Coast Guard’s highest civilian public recognition, “Distinguished Public Service Award,” and Vietnam Veterans of America’s “Honorary Life Membership,” for her efforts to support our U.S. Coast Guard and Vietnam Veterans and their families.
Thus, Trish relates well with and appreciates people from diverse backgrounds, all of whom deserve a government that is transparent, fiscally responsible, and responsive to their needs, principles which guide Trish's service as a Councilmember.
See also Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer (alamedaca.gov)