- Source: Adena Ishii
Adena Ishii (c.1990) is an American politician serving as the Mayor of Berkeley, California since 2024. She is the first Asian American and woman of color to be elected to the position.
Personal life
Ishii was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Agoura Hills, where she graduated from graduated from Agoura High School. She has two siblings, including voice actor Erika Ishii. Her parents, Christopher S. Ishii and Carolyn Abe-Ishii, worked in the film industry. Her grandparents include Chris K. Ishii, a Walt Disney Company animator and member of the Military Intelligence Service in World War Two, and Harry F. Abe, a medic in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Some of Ishii’s Japanese American relatives were incarcerated during World War II in internment camps due to Executive Order 9066.
Ishii married entrepreneur Andrew Kitirattragarn in 2020 and the couple adopted a daughter, they live in South Berkeley.
Education and early career
Ishii attended Berkeley City College in 2009. She later transferred to and graduated from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. She worked for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. She later received a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University. Ishii worked as a nonprofit education consultant Ishii was the Voter Services Director for the Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville League of Women Voters chapter and later became the president. She held the president position from 2017-2019 and was the first woman of color to hold this position and was also the youngest person to hold this position.
2024 campaign
Ishii ran in the 2024 Berkeley mayoral race against Sophie Hahn and Katie Harrison, former District 4 City Council member. Ishii's campaign manager was Cydney Chilimidos.
Ishii's campaign utilized Berkeley's public financing program that limited individual contributions up to $60 but matched those individual contributions at a 6–1 ratio.
During her 2024 campaign, Ishii ran on building more affordable housing and supporting mental health resources. She received several organizational endorsements during her 2024 campaign, including from the Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County (APADC), Housing Action Coalition, Berkley Democratic Club, East Bay for Everyone, Run for Something, East Bay YIMBY, and Gun Sense Voter. She also received an endorsement from Barry Fike, the former president of Berkeley Federation of Teachers.
On November 20, 2024, Ishii's opponent Sophie Hahn conceded the race.
Ishii was sworn into office privately on December 6, 2024 and was sworn in again at her first City Council Meeting on December 10, 2024.