Councilmember Ash Kalra earned his seat in the November 4, 2008 election for San José City Council District 2. Councilmember Kalra is the first Indian-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. For 11 years, 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, Ash served on the San José Planning Commission, including a year as Chairperson. While on the commission, Ash 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.
Councilmember Kalra sits on the Community & Economic Development Committee, Association of Bay Area Governments Board, Federated Employees Retirement Board, and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan Liaison Group. He is also a liaison to the Planning Commission, where he previously served for over 2 years prior to taking office. Ash serves on the Valley Transportation Authority Board, for which he is a representative on the Cal train and Capitol Corridor Boards. Ash also serves on the Sacred Heart Community Service and Housing Trust of Silicon Valley Board.
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. Ash’s neighborhood involvement has included serving on the Santa Teresa Foothills Neighborhood Association Board and spearheading the formation of the Hayes Neighborhood Association.
