Mayor

Meet our Team

Shawna Stevens, Chief of Staff

Shawna Stevens is an experienced legislative, government, and health professional with 18+ years in the public and nonprofit sectors. As Chief of Staff, Shawna plans and directs the operational and strategic aspects of the Mayor's office, coordinates the execution of programs and strategic initiatives, and works to ensure our City's initiatives and programs align with Mayor Richardson’s priorities.

Prior to joining Mayor Richardson's team, Shawna worked for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services for 10 years, overseeing chronic disease prevention programming and placed-based initiatives. She was also principal of her firm SHS Connections, a consulting business providing guidance, services, and connections in project management, policy analysis, grant writing and capacity building to clients in all sectors.

Shawna holds a BA in Sociology from UCLA and a Master's in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach. She is a proud soccer and dance mom who is raising her two daughters in Long Beach with her husband Michael.

Lucius Martin grew up in the Greater Long Beach Area where his mother worked in education and his father worked for the State of California. Upon graduating from high school, he attended Long Beach City College where he was active on campus organizing events and participating in student government.

Utilizing the foundation provided by the amazing faculty at Long Beach City College he finished his undergraduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles. While at UCLA he worked with other student leaders to organize weekly community outreach activities to promote access to higher education through tutoring and peer mentoring throughout Los Angeles County.

In his over decade and half career in economic development Lucius has worked within state, tribal and local municipal management building strategic partnerships that have led to countless opportunities for others. Lucius has worked for the City of Long Beach for ten years where he began his career working within the Youth Opportunity Center; he would go on to leading business engagement efforts at the city administered workforce development board Pacific Gateway. While serving in non-management roles for the city Lucius was active within his union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) where he served as a Shop Steward for his division.

Lucius maintains professional membership in the California Association of Local Economic Development as well as the National Security Space Association and was recently selected for the inaugural cohort of Coro Workforce Fellows.

Lucius lives in Los Angeles County with his lovely wife and two children whom he spends a lot of time visiting with family in Long Beach and exploring the many neighborhoods and restaurants that make Long Beach the best destination to live, work and play.

Connor Lock is an experienced government innovator and policy implementer who enjoys breaking down complex challenges and designing holistic approaches to improve people’s quality of life and fairness in society.

Deputy Mayor Lock also currently serves on the Housing Advisory Committee for the County of Los Angeles and the Emeritus Board for Partners of Parks. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in International Political Economics from Georgetown University and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach.

Mr. Lock previously served as Chief of Staff for Long Beach Councilwoman Cindy Allen. Prior to his current tenure in Long Beach, Connor served as the first Chief of Staff for Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, then-Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa.

Mr. Lock lives in Long Beach with his wonderful wife, two sons and two dogs, and enjoys DIY home remodel projects, golfing, running, and bbq.

Jeff Williams, Director of Community Engagement

Jeff Williams recently served as the Interim Director of the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) to help launch a new nonprofit Community Development Corporation focused on bringing inclusive economic opportunities to underserved communities in Long Beach.

Previously, Jeff served for 10 years as the Executive Director of Leadership Long Beach, the preeminent community leadership organization in our city. Jeff has extensive experience in nonprofits, community development, program management and leadership development.

Jeff co-founded the Long Beach Community Internship program at CSULB and has launched several community events including the MLK Day of Service and the Long Beach Mardi Gras. Brought to California as part of the Teach For America program, Jeff is passionate about community and providing opportunities for young people to find their path. Jeff married up to Ellen Williams and they have two amazing kids, Trent and Violet.

 Loren Alexis Simpson began her professional career in entertainment communications and public relations, where she spent a decade supporting high-profile celebrity clients. Her work spanned public relations, estate management, and client relations, serving as a key liaison between production agents, producers, and talent. In addition to her communications work, Loren also built a successful career as a wardrobe stylist, working with notable clients including Jennifer Lawrence, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ashley Simpson, among others, bringing a strong eye for branding, image, and presentation to her work.

Following her tenure in entertainment, Loren transitioned into the tourism sector, serving as Director of Digital Communications for Visit Long Beach. In this role, she led communications and public relations efforts and curated the organization’s social media presence, helping shape it into the platform it is today. She departed the Convention & Visitors Bureau in 2019 and joined the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Long Beach, where she managed regional marketing initiatives and outreach.

Loren currently serves as Director of Communications for Mayor Richardson’s Office, a role she has held for nearly two years. She oversees strategic communications, media relations, and messaging, supporting the Mayor’s initiatives and engaging the community through clear, effective, and impactful communication.

A proud Long Beach native and University of Alabama graduate, she is deeply committed to service and community impact. She has a passion for basketball, travel that broadens her perspective, and at home, she and her husband are devoted to raising their four children with values of integrity, curiosity, and community engagement.

Montserrat Pineda is a North Long Beach native who grew up in the Ramona Park Neighborhood and is the proud daughter of Salvadoran immigrants. She was the first in her family to attend college and graduated from the University of Redlands with a BA in Political Science.

While at Redlands, Montserrat championed other first-generation students through Students Together Empowering Peers, led the social justice and diversity-focused siblinghood WRW, organized efforts around civic engagement, advocated for Cal Grant increases with the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, and was chosen as the Commencement Speaker for her class.

Pineda remained dedicated to her local community by interning for Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Vice Mayor Rex Richardson, and Congressman Alan Lowenthal, working at the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion, and organizing food distribution drives and civic engagement activities in Long Beach. Soon after graduating, Montserrat joined Rex Richardson’s Mayoral campaign as a Volunteer Coordinator and then Campaign Organizer. Pineda is proud to represent her community at the Mayor’s office and begin her career in Public Service.

Joshua Nelson serves as a Communications Deputy in the Office of Mayor Rex Richardson for the City of Long Beach.

Joshua supports the Mayor’s communications strategy by writing speeches, press releases, talking points, and social media content, while also producing photo and video content that documents events and city initiatives. His work focuses on clear, accessible storytelling that connects residents to the work happening across the city.

Before joining the Mayor’s Office, Joshua served as the communications lead for the College of Engineering at California State University, Long Beach, supporting more than 300 faculty and staff and nearly 6,300 students. He also worked as a City Government Reporter for the Santa Maria Times and as an Editorial Assistant at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Joshua earned both his Master of Arts in Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, with a minor in Philosophy, from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is also a U.S. Navy veteran whose service helped shape his commitment to public service.

Daisy Gomez is a Communications professional with over four years of experience serving the City of Long Beach.

As Multimedia Communications Specialist in the Office of Mayor Rex Richardson, Daisy leads content creation and supports social media and communications strategy across the Mayor’s platforms, producing high-quality digital content that informs residents about city initiatives and programs through clear, engaging storytelling.

Daisy began her career with the Long Beach Public Library before transitioning to the Long Beach Public Works Communications team, where she supported outreach efforts and helped expand the department’s digital presence. Through her work across multiple departments, she has developed expertise in content creation, social media strategy, graphic design, and community engagement.

Daisy earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. She is a proud first-generation Mexican American who is passionate about using digital media to connect communities and amplify diverse voices.

Christian Cambridge, Financial Services Officer

Christian Cambridge is a Human Resources Officer at the City of Long Beach. Prior to his current role, he served as a Senior Human Resources Analyst where he assisted City Management in Labor Relations through conducting classification and compensation studies, analyzing labor cost, and representing the City in negotiations and meet and confer meetings.

Before joining the City of Long Beach, Christian earned dual Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master’s degree in Public Policy at the University of Southern California, with a focus on health policy. His practicum project under the California State Treasurer’s office involved a financial evaluation of existing retail food markets in Los Angeles in effort to increase healthy food access amongst low income communities- specifically in areas consisting of a high density of 0 to 5 child populations.

Christian spent two years in the non-profit sector as a site coordinator and instructor for the Youth Policy Institute. His key commitments focused on grant writing, after-school programming, and the development of an arts curriculum for inner-city youth, providing mentoring and training to students.

Maria Banegas is the Administrative Officer for the Mayor’s Office in the City of Long Beach, bringing over eleven years of experience serving the city and its constituents. She has more than thirteen years of progressive experience in Human Resources across both public and private sectors. Her professional background includes managing various HR functions related to office management, supervision, and budget forecasting.

Maria has extensive expertise in training and employee development, employee relations, recruitment, and retention, as well as interpreting and implementing policies. Her knowledge and skills contribute to fostering a positive environment that supports the goals and initiatives of the Mayor’s Office.

As the first member of her family to attend college, Maria earned a bachelor's degree in Management of Human Resources from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She enjoys spending quality time with her husband and three children. Her hobbies include exercising, traveling, and dancing.

Nicole Grigsby is a legal professional with experience in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining the City of Long Beach, she worked as a fraud analyst and risk management analyst for five years and as a paralegal for three years. Currently, her role is scheduler and secretary to Mayor Rex Richardson.

Before joining the City of Long Beach, Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Criminal Justice at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a Graduate certificate in Paralegal Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Nicole is a patron of the arts and spends her time enjoying the many world class museums, theaters and musical venues throughout Los Angeles County, other hobbies include traveling and gardening.