Mayor Cassandra Chase is an educator, social impact leader, and entrepreneur who believes in the power of community, kindness, and civic engagement to drive meaningful change. Raised in Lakewood, Cassandra was elected to the Lakewood City Council by the voters of District 5 in June 2022 and now proudly serves as Mayor, representing the city’s 80,000 residents. Her leadership is grounded in the values of integrity, justice, service and collective well-being.
Cassandra’s commitment to service was instilled early by her parents and has shaped her life’s work. A proud alumna of St. Joseph High School in Lakewood and the University of California, Irvine, she has long been active in advancing education, equity and empowerment.
She supports a K–12 learning community where she develops programs that cultivate a culture of social advocacy and purpose-driven leadership among students, fostering deeper connections between education and social change. Her entrepreneurial journey also includes co-founding an organization that provides extended learning opportunities through summer and after-school programs, helping close literacy gaps and expand pathways of opportunity for young people.
As Mayor, Cassandra champions policies and initiatives that foster a culture of care, belonging and civic responsibility. On the City Council, she chairs Lakewood’s Race, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (REDI), Audit, and Capital Improvement Plan Committees, and serves on the Intergovernmental Relations and Water Resources Committees. Her leadership extends statewide as President of the Women’s Caucus of the League of California Cities, representing more than 900 women leaders from across California’s 482 cities.
Mayor Chase remains committed to transforming her community through collaboration, empowerment, and service. She envisions a future where every individual has the opportunity to thrive, and her work exemplifies the values of equity, resilience, kindness, and collective progress.
Mayor Chase is serving her first term as mayor from July 2025 through July 2026. Her current term on the City Council runs through June 2026.