DAN'S STORY

When I was eight, we moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to be near my grandparents. We continued to live on a strict budget and it was impressed upon me deeply, especially on the occasions when my dad bought powdered milk for my brother and I to drink and my mom sewed clothes for the family to wear. I am proud of the sacrifices my parents made and they inspire me to this day. I am grateful for learning to work hard from their example, and prioritizing giving back has become integral to my way of life.

In Idaho, I loved the open space and my connection with the outdoors influenced me later in life as a Boy Scout Leader. Being able to ride my bike down to the lake and fish, or wander the nearby forests, climbing trees and exploring caves, or just having easy access to beaches, parks and playing fields were opportunities I had in my youth that truly shaped my values today.

In junior high, I excelled in academics and by the time I was in 9th grade I had made the basketball team and was elected student body vice-president. My efforts in leadership and sports continued through high school, where in my senior year I was elected student body president and was co-captain of both the varsity basketball and cross-country teams. I was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by my classmates.

Graduating near the top of my class, I was accepted to the University of Southern California, becoming the first person in my family to attend university and ultimately graduate with a degree in Business Communication & Management.

In 1996, I fell in love with my college friend, Beverly, who I’ve been blessed to have as my life partner.  We married in 1998 and purchased our home in Culver City in 2000. We then fell in love with Culver City because of its rich and diverse makeup and small-town feel, right in the middle of Los Angeles County. Our two children, Hayden and Brendan, were raised in Culver City, attended Culver City schools, and thrived in this amazing family-friendly community with all its incredibly diverse citizens.

During this time, I was asked to start a non-profit to advocate for all the parks in the city. I recruited a small group of Culver City parents to help establish Culver City Great Parks Association. We worked with the city to develop an awareness of all the parks and were the pass-through organization for grant funding to completely renovate Veterans Park Playground. The city initiated its master planning process for all the parks in Culver City, and I was an active representative throughout that process.

When our oldest child was close to starting kindergarten in CCUSD, we heard from our friends and neighbors that they had concerns about the quality of our school district. Some were talking about sending their children to charter or private schools after elementary school. This concerned Beverly and I, as we are passionate supporters of a quality public education for all kids. Inspired, I then created an extensive email network with many parents and neighbors laying out our concerns. The Superintendent, Dr. Myrna Coté and I formed a relationship which helped create connection and understanding. This same tact has allowed me to build trust with other city officials over the years, including council members and school board members.

As our children grew, Beverly and I continued our involvement with the schools, volunteering on the PTA at El Marino and as a room parent for Beverly, and me engaging on broader issues, like rallying support to keep the district from reducing the number of kindergarten classes offered in language immersion. Because of my activism, I was nominated to join the Culver City Education Foundation on the board of trustees. I immediately dove in, becoming the chairperson for the second annual Sip for Our Schools fundraising event while also leading the first-ever community wide sustained fundraising campaign, “All for One”. The following year on the board, I was elected vice president.

At the same time, I was nominated to become a member of the University of Southern California, Trojan Board of Directors. With around 25 members, the “TBOD” is the oldest football fundraising organization at USC, and primarily works in organizing its annual golf tournament. I was the elected president of the TBOD, when we raised almost $200,000 at our event.

Ever since we took our kids on walks in their double-wide stroller, we would stop in at Tanner’s on Lindblade and Sepulveda for coffee. I had always noticed the large blank wall across the street and how ugly it was. One day, I thought it was the perfect spot for a mural, and it quickly became my mission to make it happen.

I was connected with the owner of the building by former mayor, Jeff Cooper. The owner happened to be current councilmember, Albert Vera. He loved the idea and offered to pay for the cost. I then researched and sought out one of the most talented street artists in the world to use the wall as his canvas. An Australian, Fintan Magee, offered to do two murals if I could find a way to fly him to Culver City and cover his expenses.

With my past connection to our schools, I reached out to the principal of CCHS to see if he would be interested in having a mural painted on a wall on the high school campus. The answer was an enthusiastic “yes”. I was able to raise additional funds through the high school PTA, with the promise that Fintan would speak at the school’s AVPA fine arts class. Six years later these two murals remain, providing something beautiful to look at and inspiring young student artists. In fact, one of the students who participated in Fintan’s class painted his own mural on Ed Little’s Auto Service shop at Wagner & Sepulveda; proof that small actions today can cause ripples of positivity in the future.

I believe that from the day my dad gathered signatures and fought to have our street paved in Coeur d’Alene, it showed me that anyone can make a difference if you take initiative. At every stage of my life, I have had a desire to fulfill that mission. I can’t help it. I value collaboration, showing everyone respect, and the importance of getting things done. My 21 years in Culver City is a period when my passion for the community has created tangible results over and over again, and I am committed to continuing that path as a Culver City Councilmember.