Councilmember Ash Kalra earned his seat in the November 4, 2008 election for San José City Council District 2. Councilmember Kalra is the first Indo-American to be elected to the San José City Council. He has been a resident of San José for over 30 years and is proud to be the first Oak Grove High School graduate on the City Council.
Councilmember Kalra earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a law degree from Georgetown University. Ash worked as an attorney for the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office representing indigent clients in Drug Court prior to being elected. Additionally, he served on the San José Planning Commission, including a year as Chairperson. While on the commission, he focused on ensuring that there were increased parks funding by developers, schools were properly accounted for with our city's rapid growth, industrial land was adequately preserved to maintain job growth, and the environment and open space were properly respected and protected.
In addition to serving the community as a public defender for a number of years, Ash has also served in a variety of other roles. He has taught as a part-time instructor at San José State University and remains a professor at Lincoln Law School of San José. Ash has served numerous non-profit organizations as a member of their Board of Directors, including the Santa Clara County Bar Association, Asian Law Alliance, South Asian Bar Association and Fresh Lifelines for Youth. He is also a member of the San José Rotary Club, through which he has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and worked with the Santa Teresa High School Interact Club. Councilmember Kalra's neighborhood involvement has included serving on the Santa Teresa Foothills Neighborhood Association Board and spearheading the formation of the Hayes Neighborhood Association.
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