Mary Salas
Mary Casillas Salas (born March 17, 1948) is an American politician from Chula Vista, California. She is a former California Assembly member who represented the 79th Assembly District from 2006 to 2010. She ran for the California State Senate in 2010 but lost. In 2012 she was elected to the Chula Vista City Council, a position she previously held from 1996 to 2004. She was elected Mayor of the city of Chula Vista in 2014. Early life Salas' father, is one of 9 children of Felix and Urbana Casillas, who once lived in the La Punta adobe, after moving to the United States, through El Paso, from Mexico. Salas was born in 1948 in Chula Vista. Education Salas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work in San Diego State University. In college, she became involved with MANA de San Diego, a women's organization that mentors young Latinas, which led her into city politics. Career Early career Salas served as a member of Chula Vista's Civil Service Commission and Planning Commission. Initial City Council tenure In 1996, Salas was elected as a member of city council in Chula Vista. Salas became the first Latina elected to the Chula Vista