Mayor Erica A. Stewart was elected to the SLO City Council in November 2018. She was the first African American elected in the city’s history. Professionally, she is the Assistant Director of Personnel & Marketing for the Health Center at Cal Poly. Previously, she was the Chief Operating Officer at United Way, Human Resources Manager in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and the Superior Court. Erica also owned her own wholesale bakery, while simultaneously earning her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco, and raising two wonderful sons with her husband, Shay.
On a volunteer basis, She has served as a County Commissioner, a steering committee member of SLO city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce, a member of the Women’s Legacy Fund Advisory Committee, and as President of the Cal Poly Alumni Association board. She believes in creating sustainable programs and services that empower people and support their journey towards equity and self-sustainability. Helping improve people’s lives is her passion.