Nancy Pearlman

Nancy Pearlman was a member of the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees in California, representing Seat No. 6. She assumed office in 2001. She left office in 2017.

Pearlman ran for election to the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees to represent Seat No. 3 in California. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Nancy Pearlman was born in Huntington, West Virginia. Her career experience includes working as executive director of educational communications, a nonprofit that describes itself as working on “all environmental issues from the local to international level, as well as on peace, social justice, and the arts.”^[1] She has also worked as an administrator, anthropology professor, ethnic dance performer, television and radio documentarian, and ecotourism consultant. Pearlman has been affiliated with Educational Communications, the Universal Pantheist Society, and other nonprofit organizations in the ecological, human rights, women's rights, peace and justice, and arts/dance areas.^[2]^[3]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 3

Incumbent David Vela defeated Nancy Pearlman and Louis Shapiro in the general election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 3 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Vela (Nonpartisan)	61.3	904,236
		Nancy Pearlman (Nonpartisan)	23.8	350,446
	Submit photo	Louis Shapiro (Nonpartisan)	14.9	220,434

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,475,116
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Pearlman in this election.

2022

General election

Special general election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 7

Incumbent Kelsey Iino defeated Nancy Pearlman and Mark Dutton in the special general election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 7 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Kelsey Iino (Nonpartisan)	62.1	601,465
	Nancy Pearlman (Nonpartisan)	26.4	255,367
	Mark Dutton (Nonpartisan)	11.5	111,214

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 968,046
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2020

General election

General election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 7

The following candidates ran in the general election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 7 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mike Fong (Nonpartisan)	41.5	705,220
	Submit photo	Chris Han (Nonpartisan)	17.4	295,538
		Nancy Pearlman (Nonpartisan)	11.7	197,939
	Submit photo	Arturo Flores (Nonpartisan)	11.0	185,858
	Submit photo	Cory Butler (Nonpartisan)	7.4	125,562
	Submit photo	Raquel Watts (Nonpartisan)	7.3	123,995
	Submit photo	Jamal Stewart (Nonpartisan)	3.7	63,176

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,697,288
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: California State Board of Equalization election, 2018

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 3

Tony Vazquez defeated G. Rick Marshall in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 3 on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Tony Vazquez (D)	69.9	1,895,972
	G. Rick Marshall (R)	30.1	815,829

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,711,801 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 3

The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 3 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		G. Rick Marshall (R)	26.4	335,570
✔		Tony Vazquez (D)	20.2	255,988
		Cheryl Turner (D)	16.9	214,916
	Submit photo	Scott Svonkin (D)	13.4	170,254
		Nancy Pearlman (D)	12.6	160,105
	Submit photo	Doug Kriegel (D)	3.5	44,962
	Submit photo	Ben Pak (D)	3.5	44,588
		Micheál O'Leary (Independent)	3.4	43,084

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 1,269,467
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2017

See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles, California (2017)

The city of Los Angeles, California, held primary elections for mayor, eight city council seats, city attorney, and city controller on March 7, 2017. Three community college board of trustees seats were also up for general election on that date.

Most races where no candidate earned a majority (50% plus one) of the primary votes cast advanced to a general election on May 16, 2017. This rule did not apply to the community college board races, which were determined by a plurality winner in the March election.^[4]

This election was the second impacted by Charter Amendment 1. Passed in March 2015, the amendment shifted city elections to even-numbered years beginning in 2020. As a result, officials elected in 2017 won special five-and-a-half year terms ending in 2022. Gabriel Buelna defeated incumbent Nancy Pearlman in the election for Seat No. 6 on the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees.^[5]

Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees, Seat No. 6 Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Gabriel Buelna	60.37%	245,232
Nancy Pearlman Incumbent	39.63%	160,993
Total Votes		406,225
Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "March 7, 2017, Election Results: Statement of Votes Cast," accessed May 22, 2017

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Nancy Pearlman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Nancy Pearlman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pearlman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Trustee Emeritus with the Los Angeles Community College District (four terms, sixteen years.) I have dedicated my life to the environmental cause with the longest running ecological radio and television series in the nation (over 3,000 programs with three EMMY-nominations) and fifty years director of the nonprofit organization Educational Communications. I am an educator; taught at the secondary and university levels in broadcasting, communications and anthropology; a part-time anthropology instructor with the LACCD; and an ethnic dance performer. I am an internationally recognized sustainability and ecotourism expert. I have lived in my district for over fifty-four years. As a trustee I led the District's six billion dollar building program to be sustainable; saved Gold Creek Ecological Preserve from being sold; represented all students, staff, and faculty and especially multi-ethinic individuals such as myself. I have served on over one hundred Boards of Directors and Advisory Councils and am an excellent policy maker. I am a human rights activist and conservationist who believes in women's rights and protecting our endangered flora and fauna and ecosystems.I am a forceful, outspoken progressive liberal who is not part of the political establishment regime. I have the drive, energy and time to serve in this position. My athletic accomplishments include being ranked number five in the world in the fifty-mile race, completing Ironman Triathlon and climbing 100 peaks

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Sustainability in the building projects and campus operations
more fiscal accountability with equal pay for the over 70% of faculty who are part-time instructors
creating COVID safe campuses that also are nondiscriminatory and are welcoming to all students

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate that public institutions are run ecological and efficiently without wasting taxpayer dollars. That sustainability features are created that will save resources and dollars that can be spent on education. For example: a. the campuses should use 100% renewable energy; b. toxic chemicals in cleaning supplies, pesticides, etc. should not be allowed; c. all campuses should have effective recycling programs; recycled water should be used on all outside vegetation; d. food choices should include vegetarian and vegan options, etc

That part-time instructors receive equal pay and opportunities as full-time faculty (there is a list of 27 demands if interested).

That along with academic classes that vocational courses are available such as for solar installation, electric car mechanic, etc.

That the political establishment and college faculty, staff, and administration stop discriminating against women, older candidates, and those of certain ethnicities.

That there be transparency in the fiscal choices.

That colleges support all fields from the sciences to the arts with minimal on-line classes which have proven to be less effective.

That the community colleges do more to serve the community .

I

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Jane Goodall, primatologist and United Nations Peace Ambassador has dedicated her life to saving the planet, both for humans and for other species. I have been privileged to have her on my radio and television programs.

I respect the hundreds of experts in their fields who are working to save this planet's unique flora and fauna and ecosystems ranging from Dr. Garrett Hardin (father of human ecology), Dr. Paul Erhlich (author of the Population Bomb), Birute Galdikas (one of the "Leaky angels" studying and saving the orangutans), Mark Dubois who chained himself to a rock to try to save the Stanislaus River from being dammed and other scientists, activists, and experts.

The two people I look up to the most are my parents. My father overcame discrimination and became a renowned urological surgeon who created new surgical techniques and donated at least one day a week without charge to the needy and never asked if anyone could pay for his services. My mother was a renaisance woman who was the "geneologists of geneologists" before computers and ancestry/dna websites; she was a creative genius and designed with an architect a mountain cabin that is now on National Registry of Historic Place.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I have done 600 television documentaries about cultural and natural history and the need to protect the environment to avoid climate change and other ecological disasters such as species extinction. Watch ECONEWS with Nancy Pearlman. My philosophy was established in 1968 after reading Dr. Paul Erhlich's "The Population Bomb" and the essay by Dr. Garrett Hardin of "The Tragedy of the Commons."

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, trustworthiness, and transparancy.

An elected official should be available to their constituents and represent their views.
That person should also be a leader in making changes to improve the community.

Elected officials should not be beholden to their campaign donors or major endorsers.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am forceful, outspoken, and a great policy maker. I have the time, energy, and ability to go above the required attendance at board meetings. I have sixteen years experience voting on billions of dollars of taxpayers' dollars.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A trustee for the community college should set policy that will make the learning environment better for students.

A trustee should negotiate contracts that save taxpayers money and also are equitable for all staff and faculty.

A trustee should be responsible for making the college district the best in the nation.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I led the biggest green building program in the country by having six billion dollars spent at nine colleges to be spent sustainably.

That I fought for equal pay and representation of part-time faculty.

That I made the campuses safe for over 200,000 students, faculty, and staff.

That i worked hard to make the LACCD the best in the nation.

That I strove to have the colleges be supportive of academic and vocational programs and classes.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Too many historical events both personal and international to remember. One of my most impressionable experiences was traveling around the world when I was in college and seeing how other people lived. Is being at Disneyland the day it opened an historical event? Is running in a marathon with the top 100 women marathoners in the U. S. on the 1932 Olympic course to advocate for the women's marathon in the 1984 Olympic historical? There are personal historical events as well as national and international; the question isn't clear. To me, having Pete Seeger, world-renowned folk singer singing to us kids at a campfire in the 1950s historical. Then the 1960s brought love-ins and anti-war protests and I marched with tens of thousands in Los Angeles to protest the Vietnam War. To me one of the most historical events was when in 1970, I organized the first Earth Day in southern California. Then later in 1992 attending the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio was historical. But I remember performing as a child in front of Lucy Ball and Desi Arnez, which was not an historical event except to me personally. Winning the regional championship in the fifty-miler and ranking number five in the world is historical to me.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was in high school and worked in a doctor's office. I have had many jobs since then. I have run many nonprofit organizations and for fifty years served as director of Educational Communications. I founded the Ecology Center of Southern California, Environmental Directions radio, ECONEWS television, Humanity and the Planet, Project Ecotourism and Earth Cultures. I have performed ethnic dances profresionally since I was four years old, to the present. I am an international expert on ecotourism and sustainbility and am a consultant, speaker, and lecturer. I taught secondary school in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since the 1990s I have been an anthropology instructor at the community colleges. I am a documentarian with over 3000 programs produced to date. I am recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme as a Global 500 Laureate.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I read over twenty-five books a year to interview authors and my favorite is always the last one read. Listen to Environmental Directions with Nancy Pearlman on youtube to hear some of the reviews.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I believe in reality and not fantasy and have no fictional characters I would like to be.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The last song is always the one I danced in my last performance and these are not popular songs but folk/ethnic tunes.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Overcoming discrimination as a female and multi-ethnic individual.

Surviving five life-threatening medical conditions

Tell us your favorite joke.

I started each class I taught with a joke relevant to the topic and have too many favorite jokes to tell.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Nancy Pearlman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pearlman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am an environmentalist, anthropology professor, humanitarian, civil rights activist, and award-winning documentarian. I have been an Anthropology and Communications Instructor and Trustee with the Los Angeles Community College District for over thirty years.

I am a United Nations Global 500 Laureate for my ecological efforts and have produced and hosted over 2300 Environmental Directions radio shows and 600 ECONEWS television programs. I am Executive Director of Educational Communications which has projects ranging from ethnic dance in the schools, building orphanages and schools in East Africa, writing on environmental policies, and ecotourism consultancies.  And I am a world-class long distance runner and mountain climber.

I am endorsed by the National Women's Political Caucus, Sierra Club, Democratic Clubs, Chambers of Commerce and leaders in all political Parties.

Full bio and accomplishments at http://www.nancypearlman.net

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I support diversity among students, faculty, and staff and gender parity along with developing pathways to success.
I support more oversight and transparency for the over one billion dollar yearly operating budget.
I support sustainability in the building program and in operations.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In my first term as Trustee, I led the effort to get the largest building program in the country to be green and sustainable (9 billion dollars had to be spent following LEEDS standards).

I believe that the Board of Trustees should be educators rather than "party-machine/establishment" politicians using the Board as a political stepping stone.

The Los Angeles Community College District (nine colleges) should be the best in the nation but that requires college presidents that stay with the district, funding to promote the colleges and increase enrollment and to ensure that all parties are treated fairly.

The colleges must be made to be safe for return to classroom learning.

Detailed goals are at www.nancypearlman.net

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Albert Einstein. Martin Luther King. Susan B. Anthony.

These leaders spoke and struggled for the truth and equality for all.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Too many books and films to list. See my documentaries on youtube ECONEWS with Nancy Pearlman or listen on youtube to my radio shows Environmental Directions with Nancy Pearlman

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, willingness to represent everyone in her district, integrity, leadership skills.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Experience in education, willingness to ask the tough questions, honest, transparent, and dedicated.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Represent the students first and then the employees and community. Someone in this office should be an educator not using this position as a political stepping stone for higher office and not "pay for play."

What legacy would you like to leave?

To make the LACCD the best in the nation.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I coordinated the first Earth Day in Southern California in 1970 when I was in college at UCLA

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Founder and Executive Director of the Ecology Center of Southern California, Project of Educational Communications, 1972 to present.

Secondary teacher and college professor 1982 to present.

What is your favorite book? Why?

"The Population Bomb" in 1968 because it set me on my career path.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would rather follow real characters who have done incredible work such as Jane Goodall.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Miserlou, the first ethnic dance I learned when I was four years old and still dance to

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

To be ahead of the mainstream pushing for environmental protections, sustainable operations, and educational changes before the norm.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

Actually, it is College Board (you didn't have that option). Primary job is: oversight of budget, fire and hire the chancellors and the nine college presidents, and set policy and guidance toward how to have student success.

Who are your constituents?

The 250,000 students at the nine college, the faculty, the staff, and the community.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

As a person of mixed heritage I understand the need to have diversity at the colleges at all levels and will work to be sure that there is no discrimination and everyone has an equal opportunity for an education or to work at the colleges.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

As an environmental activist, humanitarian, documentarian, and performer I regularly interact with nonprofit organizations, community neighborhood groups, and appropriate governmental agencies. I will be sure that the LACCD is properly represented. After COVID I will again attend as many events and meetings as possible.

What will you do to build a better relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?

The colleges teach adults and there is rarely involvement with parents.
As a part-timer who has taught dual enrollment at high schools I have made sure to speak with as many parents as possible to ensure that their child succeeds.

Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying the district’s faculty, staff, and administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?

I believe the LACCD should recruit the most qualified candidates and be sure that they represent the community.

What issues get in the way of quality education? How would you address these obstacles?

Money is a big problem for students. Textbooks are expensive and should be available at lower cost. Public transportation to the colleges should be free. Tutors should be free so that students who lack certain skills, especially in English can get the help needed.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Good teaching means that professors are engaged with the students and give the time necessary to help the students do the best job possible. Interaction is vital.

What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?

Workforce development skills are important including more trades to be taught, such as in the new sustainable energy field

How might you improve the value of a high school diploma? What should a 21st century diploma reflect?

A high school diploma should mean that the student has certain skills and knowledge, especially if they are transferring to college.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

There should be more advanced technical training in fields such as sustainable technologies (solar panels, electric cars, etc.) The colleges can provide many more courses to reflect the modern needs to create a healthier environment.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

The legislature must allocate the funds needed to provide a quality education.

At the college level, local support groups such as foundations should provide scholarships.

Local businesses should be providing opportunities as well.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

Everyone must need to feel safe. At the colleges security has to be provided to students especially in the evening so they can get from car to classes.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Our health centers need to provide all mental health services.

What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?

The new buildings are supposed to have "smart" technology but with distance learning easier programs are needed. Wifi should be free or at low cost just as we have utilities.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

External links

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Candidate

Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 3

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Footnotes

↑ Educational Communications, accessed November 12, 2020
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 28, 2020
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 10, 2022
↑ Los Angeles Daily News, "A dozen hopefuls step up to the starting line for Los Angeles mayoral race," November 11, 2016
↑ City of Los Angeles City Clerk, "2017 Primary Nominating Election Candidates," December 16, 2016

Political offices
Preceded by Althea Baker	Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees, Seat No. 6 2001-2017	Succeeded by Gabriel Buelna

[1] Educational Communications, accessed November 12, 2020

[bio-2] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 28, 2020

[3] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 10, 2022

[ladn-4] Los Angeles Daily News, "A dozen hopefuls step up to the starting line for Los Angeles mayoral race," November 11, 2016

[5] City of Los Angeles City Clerk, "2017 Primary Nominating Election Candidates," December 16, 2016

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Nancy Pearlman

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 3

Endorsements

2022

General election

Special general election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 7

2020

General election

General election for Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees Seat No. 7

2018

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 3

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 3

2017

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

2022

2020

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2026 Elections

2025 Elections

Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

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