MLK Day 2015 Speakers

Our speakers this year are congresswoman Barbara Lee; Mayor Margaret Fujioka; Police Chief Rikki Goede; and PHS Junior Courtney Gao.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a forceful and progressive voice in Congress, dedicated to social and economic justice, international peace, and civil and human rights. First elected in 1998 to represent California’s then-9th Congressional District (now the 13th), the Democratic lawmaker has established a reputation for principled and independent stands, unafraid to take on the tough issues and speak her mind for her constituents, for a more just America, and for a safer world. As a social worker by profession, she has prioritized advocating for people dealing with the federal bureaucracy.

Mayor Margaret Fujioka is the first woman of color to serve on the Piedmont City Council. She was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012 with the highest number of votes in both contested races, and in 2014 she was unanimously elected Mayor by her fellow City Council Members.

Margaret is currently an Administrative Hearing Officer with Alameda County and is a former Deputy City Attorney in Oakland.

She is a past president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area.

Margaret received a B.A. from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from UC Hastings College of Law.  

Police Chief Rikki Goede graduated from Augustana College with a degree in Journalism and Criminal Justice and was hired by the San Diego Police Department in 1986.  In 1996, Rikki transferred to the San Jose Police Department where she served until joining the Piedmont Police Department in 2013.  During her career, Rikki has had the opportunity to work a variety of assignments including Patrol, Field Training, Vice, Narcotics, Internal Affairs, Robbery, Patrol Watch Commander, Gang Investigations Commander, and Homicide Commander.

Courtney Gao is a junior at Piedmont High School. She enjoys playing classical piano, writing for The Piedmont Highlander, and inviting speakers to school with her fellow members in Voice Cooperative.