City of Pacific Grove City Council Councilmember Chaps Poduri

Chaps Poduri successfully ran for a Pacific Grove City Council seat in November 2020. On the council website, Poduri describes the “unique skills and experience” he brings to city government. A Pacific Grove resident since 2016, he has been involved with public-sector institutions throughout his 20-year professional career—a background that he says gave him an understanding of different cultures and business environments. Currently he is director for commercial payments at Bank of America. In this position he works with states, cities, municipalities, healthcare and higher-education clients, including California’s Secretary of State office, the Employment Development Department, and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Poduri, who has a master’s degree in computer sciences, became a U.S. citizen in 2019 after 19 years of residency in the United States. He and his wife have three children. A relative newcomer to city politics, Poduri won his seat over candidates with more name recognition. He told Monterey County Weekly, “I come in as more progressive as compared to the rest of the pack,” he says. “I do believe in diversity and inclusion. Racial injustice is happening and we do need to do something about that fact.” The new councilmember has repurposed his campaign website, ChapsforPG.com, to serve as a COVID-19 resource page.