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On April 1, 2025, Denise Menchaca began her second term as Mayor of the City of San Gabriel, a role she first assumed in March 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was first elected to the San Gabriel City Council in March 2017 and re-elected in November 2022, making history as both the first Latina elected to the Council and the first Latina to serve as Mayor.
Raised in Alhambra, California, Mayor Menchaca attended local public schools and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California. She and her husband, John, have been married for 40 years, raising four children and sharing their home with two dogs, while also building a life as business owners.
Mayor Menchaca’s dedication to public service began with eight years on the San Gabriel Unified School District Board and as a Los Angeles County Commissioner. She continues to serve in numerous civic and community roles, including President-Elect of the San Gabriel Kiwanis Club, Vice President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of the San Gabriel Valley, board member of 211 LA County, member of the San Gabriel Hope Lions Club and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, and President-ret. of the Del Mar
Continuation High School Site Council. She also represents the City as Vice President on the Board of Directors of the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.
A recognized leader in the community, Mayor Menchaca has received numerous honors, including Congressional Woman of Distinction for San Gabriel by Congresswoman Judy Chu, the Outstanding Female Role Model Award from the Chinese Women’s Business Association of California (CWBA), National Latina of the Year by the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, Volunteer of the Year from the American Cancer Society, and the Golden Apple Award from the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).
Her priorities focus on preserving the City’s historic character, guiding smart development, investing in public safety by supporting our first responders, providing services for youth and seniors, improving infrastructure, and responsibly managing local tax dollars to benefit all residents.