City of Marina City Council Councilmember Lisa Berkley

Still serving the term she won when the city conducted at-large elections (it switched to district races in 2020), Lisa Berkley is the founder and president of the Institute for Inner Economy, which she describes on LinkedIn as “a non-partisan think tank dedicated to operationalizing positive peace for governance, diplomacy, and civil progress, and establishing compassionate governance.” Prior to running for a council seat, Berkley served on the Monterey Planning Commission. Her top priorities as a candidate are, as detailed on VotersEdge.com, to increase revenue for Marina by enhancing use of city assets; provide responsive and accessible government; and pursue smart development—i.e., affordable housing and infill development rather than urban sprawl. (For more about her views on land use and development, read a detailed Q&A on Landwatch.org.)

Based on her bachelor’s degree in economics and environmental science from New York University, Berkley says she is “uniquely qualified to balance economic development with natural resource preservation.” She also has a master’s degree from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and master’s and doctorate degrees from Antioch University. “After traveling and working in numerous foreign locations, I was attracted to Marina by its rich cultural and ethnic diversity and have chosen it to be my home. I live with my partner and many rescue animals in central Marina,” Berkley stated on VotersEdge.