Janelle Kellman | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Sausalito, California | |
| In office 2022–2022 | |
| Member of the Sausalito City Council | |
| Assumed office 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 11,1973 Hartford,Connecticut,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education |
|
| Occupation | Attorney, environmental advocate, public official |
Janelle Kellman (born May 11, 1973) is an American politician. She served as Mayor of Sausalito, California in 2022 and is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2026 election. [1]
Kellman was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 11, 1973, and grew up in a coal-mining town in northeastern Pennsylvania. [2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Yale University, where she played varsity lacrosse and field hockey and served as team captain. [1] She later obtained a Master's in Environmental management from the University of Oxford and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. [1]
Kellman began her career as an attorney at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she worked on tribal water quality and Endangered Species Act compliance. [3] In 2020, she founded the Center for Sea Rise Solutions, a nonprofit addressing sea-level rise and coastal resilience. [1] The group has collaborated with the Port of Barcelona and the World Ocean Council. [1]
She served on the Sausalito Planning Commission for over a decade, including multiple terms as chair. [3] Elected to the City Council in 2020, she served as mayor in 2022. [4] As mayor, she secured nearly $2 million in coastal resilience funding and led initiatives on housing affordability and homelessness. [5] She serves on the board of Marin Clean Energy and advocates for workforce development in renewable energy and maritime sectors. [3]
In December 2023, Kellman announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2026 election. [6] [7] Her campaign emphasizes economic development, environmental sustainability, and social equity. [1] She was a featured speaker at New York Climate Week. [8] [9] She has also spoken at the Smart City Expo World Congress, [10] Urban Land Institute Spring Meeting, [3] and Net Zero Conference. [11]
Kellman is an endurance athlete who has completed over 15 ultramarathons and biked from Washington, D.C. to California. [2] She is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and, during her mayoralty, initiated Sausalito's first LGBTQ+ Pride celebration. [6]