Darshana Patel | |
---|---|
![]() Official portrait, 2024 | |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 76th district | |
Assumed office December 5, 2024 | |
Preceded by | Brian Maienschein |
Personal details | |
Born | 1974 (age 50–51) Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Occidental College (BA) University of California,Irvine (PhD) |
Academic background | |
Thesis | Characterization of membrane binding properties of annexins (1997) |
Academic work | |
Discipline | Biophysics |
Darshana Ramesh Patel (born 1974) is an American scientist and politician serving as a member of the California State Assembly for the 76th district since 2024. [1] A member of the Democratic Party,she previously served as President of the Poway Unified School District and as a commissioner of the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs.
Patel was born in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania to parents from India. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry with a minor in religious studies from Occidental College and a Ph.D. in biophysics from University of California,Irvine. [2]
Patel previously worked in oncology research at Genentech,where she researched new methods of cancer treatment and delivering chemotherapy. [3]
Patel was elected to the California State Assembly in 2024,defeating Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane. [4] She is the first Hindu woman to serve in the California State Legislature. [5]
In March 2025,Patel introduced a bill to close a loophole which made threats only illegal if they target specific individuals thus preventing the prosecution of threats made against institutions such as schools,places of worship,or medical facilities. [6] In June,Patel and Ash Kalra's bill to make Diwali a new state public holiday passed the assembly unanimously. [7]
Patel lives in the Rancho Peñasquitos community of San Diego with her husband and three daughters.
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Kristie Bruce-Lane | 49,316 | 49.5 | |
Democratic | Darshana Patel | 34,066 | 34.2 | |
Democratic | Joseph Rocha | 16,312 | 16.4 | |
Total votes | 99,694 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Darshana Patel | 113,242 | 54.0 | |
Republican | Kristie Bruce-Lane | 96,358 | 46.0 | |
Total votes | 209,600 | 100.0 |