Chris Lopez
Supervisor Chris Lopez lives in Greenfield, California with his wife Jazmin Lopez, and son Teodoro. He was elected to succeed Supervisor Simon Salinas, representing Monterey County’s Third District, in June of 2018.
Supervisor Lopez was born and raised in Southern Monterey County. His parents, Vince and Tina Lopez raised their four children in King City, where they served as great role models for their children as they were involved in nearly every community activity imaginable. Supervisor Lopez graduated from Claremont McKenna College, receiving his Bachelor of Arts with focus in the areas of International Relations and Economics in 2004. He met his wife when they founded Mariachi Serrano de Claremont as students. Supervisor Lopez spent time interning in Hong Kong, Hong Kong for the Pacific Basin Economic Council and in Guanajuato, Mexico for the CASAs Office of the Governor of the State of Guanajuato.
Returning to the Salinas Valley after graduation, Supervisor Lopez approached Supervisor Simon Salinas with an offer he couldn’t refuse, he requested an unpaid internship. After proving his skills invaluable, he was offered a full-time position as Board Aide working with Supervisor Salinas, and his then Chief of Staff, Darlene Dunham. Dunham retired and Supervisor Salinas promoted Lopez to Chief of Staff where he would remain for the next seven and a half years. He was elected to serve on the Board of Supervisors in June of 2018 and took his Oath of Office in January of 2019.
He has served on the boards of Youth Orchestra Salinas, Hartnell College Foundation, the Arts Council for Monterey County, the Redevelopment Oversight Boards of the cities of King City, Greenfield, Soledad, and Gonzales among many others.
Supervisor Lopez is passionate about early childhood education, safe roads, fair, equitable and accessible housing, and economic development, as well as equitable models of government.
He currently serves on the following county commissions amongst others, Natividad Medical Center Board of Trustees, LAFCo, Monterey County Cannabis Committee, the Alternative Energy and the Environment Committee, Equal Opportunity Committee, Water Resources Agency Joint Boards Leadership Committee, and Urban County Standing Committee.
Prior to serving on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Chris participated in the following:
Ten years of working in and for the Third District as Aide and then Chief of Staff to Supervisor Simon Salinas
Member of the Integrated Regional Waste Management Task Force
Former Chair of the Redevelopment Oversight Committee for the City of King
Former Chair of the Redevelopment Oversight Committee for the City of Gonzales
Member of the Echenique Foundation, a foundation granting to community oriented Non-Profits in Southern Monterey County
Member of Youth Orchestra of Salinas, serving the children of Salinas through music and cultural enrichment opportunities
Founding Member of the fundraising Committee for King City's branch of Girls Inc. of the Central Coast
Former Member of the Redevelopment Oversight Committee for the City of Soledad
Former Secretary of the Redevelopment Oversight Committee for the City of Greenfield
Past Co-Chair of the Lead Me Home Coalition, working to address homelessness in Monterey and San Benito County.
Former Member of the review committee for the Community Grants Panel of the Community Foundation of Monterey County.
Member of the Hartnell Community College Foundation, working to support the work of Hartnell in our communities.
Worked closely with staff, stakeholders, state officials and other interested parties to help develop and encourage collaboration on a new permitting program for maintenance of the Salinas River Channel and its tributaries.
Represented the Third District when entering Unified Command at daily briefings during critical junctures of the Chimney Fire, Coleman Fire, Soberanes Fire, and Basin Complex Fire.
Appointed and served as the Rural Residential/Well Owner representative on the Groundwater Sustainability Agency Formation Committee, advocating for deminimus water users in the basin.
Successfully secured and collaborated on Private Public Partnerships for the County resulting in over $500,000 of improvements to Monterey County infrastructure.
Founding member of the Pinnacles Gateway Partners, working to promote and advance the gateway communities and our newest National Park.
In addition to serving on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Chris also sits on the following:
Heath, Housing and Human Services (Board Member)
Arts Council for Monterey County (Board Member)
Children’s Council of Monterey County (Alt. Board Member)
Emergency Communications Policy Advisory Committee (Board Member)
Emergency Medical Services Committee (Board Member)
First 5 Monterey County (Board Member, Chair)
Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) - (Alt. Board Member)
Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) - (Board Member)
Monterey County Behavioral Health (Board Member)
Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District (MBUAPCD) - (Board Member)
Natividad Medical Center Board Trustee (Board Member)
Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority (Salinas Valley Recycles) - (Board Member)
Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) - (Board Member)
Alternative Energy and Environment Committee (Board Member)
Cannabis Standing Committee (Board Member)
Equal Opportunity Committee (Board Member)
Monterey Urban County Standing Committee (Board Member)
Water Resources Agency Joint Boards Leadership Committee (Board Member)