About Gila

The daughter of a homemaker and an oilfield equipment executive, Gila Jones is a native southern Californian. After high school and college graduation Gila pursued a graduate degree in Business Administration and followed her father’s footsteps into the business world. With an interest in the emerging field of computer technology she completed her Masters’ in Business Administration (MBA) in Information Systems Management.

For more than 20 years Gila worked for technology firms in the areas of systems analysis, systems engineering, product management, marketing, and sales.

Today Gila divides her time volunteering with San Juan Capistrano’s Housing Advisory Committee, of which she is the Chairwoman; the Orange County District Attorney’s Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership; iHope (Interfaith Homeless Outreach Project for Empowerment) ; and The Ark of San Juan Companion Animal Rescue. She is a columnist for the Capistrano Dispatch newspaper, a graduate of San Juan Capistrano’s Leadership Academy, and a member of the non-partisan groups California Women Lead, the Orange County Human Relations Council, St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, and the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce.

Gila has been married 28 years to Tom, a retired engineering executive and Vietnam-era Air Force veteran. Tom and Gila have two adult children.

Why I’m running for State Senate

State and local government and community service have long been my passions -- while others debate about out of state or foreign affairs, I'm reading the minutes of a Board of Supervisors meeting or checking the progress of a bill moving through the legislature.

Most Californians probably don’t realize that Democrats have long been in the overwhelming majority in our State Legislature. The Democratic majority means that parts of the State are represented by Republicans who are essentially unable to accomplish anything for their constituents.

That means that when you elect a Republican to represent you in the Senate or Assembly, you’re giving up your right to representation!

I'm a moderate Democrat with centrist views. Because I’m a Democrat I will be a member of the State Senate’s majority party, but because I’m a moderate I will make up my own mind on every issue. I intend to put partisanship aside and work with both Republican and Democratic Senators to represent you in Sacramento.