The empty seat on the California Coastal Commission that is reserved for an elected official in the south-central coast region
was given to Meagan Harmon, a Santa Barbara city council member, via an appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Harmon, 34, has served on the city council since 2019 and works as an Associate at Hepner & Myers LLP since 2020.
There were four others vying for the post: Gabriela Basua, Oxnard city council; SB County Supervisor Das Williams, Vianey Lopez, Oxnard city council and district manager to State Sen. Monique Limón and Linda Parks, Ventura Supervisor.
Harmon was first appointed to fill a council vacancy in 2019. On the commission, she will represent San Luis Obispo, Santa
Barbara and Ventura counties.
She grew up in Lompoc, went to college at Wellesley, Harvard and New York University. “Hard knock” education followed
in Afghanistan for a German emergency aid non-profit.
She met her husband Nick in New York and came to Los Angeles and then Santa Barbara with their daughter Maura. Her
mentor became Dave Davis of Santa Barbara when they met during Earth Day 2019. Davis was impressed with her background, work ethic and democratic politics. Davis is a well-known activist with the Santa Barbara Environmental Defense Center and Community
Environmental Council.