About CDC

I have always regarded the California Democratic Council as one of the United States’ most important centers of citizen participation in politics.

– John F. Kennedy

Vision Statement

The California Democratic Council (CDC) exists to serve California Clubs and Central Committees and strives to give them a voice at the state level. We envision a symbiotic relationship between the CDC, Clubs, and Central Committees based on grassroots energy, leadership, passion, collaboration, and integrity.

Mission Statement

The California Democratic Council (CDC) provides a network of various resources and services to ensure Democratic Clubs serve every California Democrat. We advocate for all clubs and central committees to have a voice at the state level. The CDC helps affiliated Democratic Clubs and Central Committees in the development and advocacy of platform items and resolutions, as well as organize and grow through training, skill building, intra club collaboration, and candidate development.

Executive Board Members

Got Website Related Questions?

Email: tech@caldc.org

Bylaws and Constitution

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Iyad Afalqa
President

Iyad Afalqa, a Palestinian-American, is a professor at CSU Dominguez Hills, specializing in Health Care Management, Policy and Strategic Management. Iyad views politics as an opportunity to make an impact in his community. Born in Jerusalem, Iyad spent his formative years living in the West Bank under Israeli occupation, an experience that shaped his political outlook.

Iyad is currently serving his first term as the Co-President of CSUDH Chapter of the CFA and comes with years of experience within the Democratic party, having served within the ranks of the Democratic Party in WI, NV and CA in different capacities; as 2016 DNC elected Delegate and a 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign Healthcare Advisor; as a 4th-term CADEM E-Board; Delegate; as a Chair of a Statewide Caucus; and in an Affirmative Action Committee. Currently, he is the President of the California Democratic Council, which represents 500+ Clubs state-wide.

Adriana Jenson

Adriana Jenson
Acting Vice President

Adriana became an activist after the 2016 election cycle, vowing to participate in politics to help protect the next generation and to stand up against racism. Prior to becoming disabled, she was an Account Manager for ten years, and her corporate experience has proven useful in CDC’s nonprofit operations. 

Adriana was elected as CDC Secretary in November of 2019. Due to her understanding of corporate operations and tendency fill holes wherever needed, she is currently filling the VP position. Adriana is also on the IT/Webmaster Committee, Bylaws Committee, Finance Committee, and Fundraising Committee.

Adriana is a District 3 Member of the Amador County Democratic Central Committee and the Motherlode Democrats of Amador Club. The Amador County DCC Board appointed her as Delegate to the California State Central Committee for the 2021-22 term, her second term as State Delegate. 

She looks forward to developing strong relationships with fellow Club Activists and Central Committee Members throughout the state. 

Paula Mejia
Treasurer

Paula is the best example we can use when it comes to the phrase “serve country over party.” She changed to the Democratic Party in 2016, but she has always been voting for the candidate that resembles her beliefs, such as helping the less fortunate. Most of the time, she was voting for a Democrat candidate, and realized she could do even more for her community and therefore changed to the Democrat Party. She is a proud member of The Hubert Humphrey Democratic Club.
 
Paula serves as a director at the Downey Chamber of Commerce, where she just ended her service year as a co-chair ambassador. She is also an appointee for Area 2 for Cerritos College where she serves on the Task Force. She is also a part of the Chico State University Parent Association, serving in the greater LA area as a volunteer for the new parents of incoming students.
 
She has participated in “marchas”or demonstrations for immigration reforms, BLM,  and has also helped in canvassing for local candidates.
 
Paula has been always active in her community and served on different boards, holding positions from treasurer to vice president and president. She has twice won Volunteer of the Year—once for the Downey Sister Cities Association 2009 and the other for The Downey Chamber of Commerce in 2016. 
 
When she is not campaigning or working, she enjoys her vacations and likes to travel around the country and internationally. 
 
Paula knew since she was a little girl back in Mexico that she would be a Democrat because she would always read about President Kennedy and his family, and always admired them. She even named her daughter after Jacqueline Kennedy! 

Kristal Edwards-Jones
Acting Secretary

Kristal is the acting Secretary for the California Democratic Council.

Carlos Mendoza
Controller

Born in Visalia, raised in Tulare in our Central Valley. I have always felt that I was destined to do great for our community. I proudly set on the Tulare County Democratic Central Committee (TCDCC) as the parliamentarian. In the past, I have dedicated much of my time helping to raise funds on the fundraising committee. My democratic values and dedications have grown tremendously over the years, as we witness a political dark cloud over our country today. We must come together and support one another in this fight for our democracy.

I am a proud brother of Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity at Fresno State University, where I am a full-time student majoring in sociology. I look forward to continuing my educational journey into my master’s in social work. Once I have obtained these degrees, I feel I will be in the capacity to help our community even more. Community to me is very important as I feel without community, we lose ourselves. Throughout my years I have been not just actively involved in party activities but also in other activities involving helping out the community, such as raising money to end polio, donating and delivering turkeys to those in need, getting involved with helping our local homeless population, and many others. I am thankful for being elected as controller of the California Democratic Council and look forward to helping keep our party accountable to the people they represent.

Vacant
Southern California Coordinator

Larry Johnson
Central California Coordinator

Larry is a Democratic activist, Retired Airline Captain, Website Developer, Organizer. Larry began his political career in Fresno, California in 2006 when he attended a Democratic outreach meeting. He found that the Democratic Philosophy fit his world outlook and changed his Voter Registration to Democratic. A few months later he attended a Democratic Central Committee meeting where he was appointed to fill and open set from his district. He later served as the Treasurer of the DCC and then ran for the US Congress in 2008. Out spent by his republican opponent by 10 to one he was not successful but did manage to attract more Democratic votes than any previous Democratic candidate. In 2010 he ran for a State Senate seat at the request of the California Party. Again unsuccessful he then turned to helping set up Democratic Clubs in Fresno, County. In 2014 the California Democratic Council was reorganized and Larry was elected a Vice President with the Internet Technologies portfolio. Over the next two years he completely reorganized the virtually defunct Website Sponsored Project and designed, developed and reenergized 70 Democratic Clubs

Kristal Edwards-Jones
Northern California Coordinator

Kristal is currently the CDC Northern California Coordinator.

Francois Kaeppelin
Tech Coordinator

Born in Seattle and raised in Hong Kong, Francois was involved in politics ever since he immigrated to the US in 2014. He first got involved with Justice Democrats, where he served as their volunteer tech team leader. During the 2018 election cycle, he worked as the Administrative Director and Data Analyst for the Sarah Smith for Congress campaign in Washington State.

When Francois moved to California to start his education at UC Davis, he joined the Yolo County Democratic Party and the California College Democrats. There, he serves as their tech director where he is currently working to build their digital presence.

Francois got involved with the California Democratic Council on May 2020, where he is maintaining the websites of over 50 clubs around California to ensure that they have the resources to thrive in the digital era.

Outside of the Democratic Party, Francois is the Legislative Director for the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD) where he advocates for policies that will uplift low-income students and students of color at the local, state, and federal levels of government. 

In his free time, you will find Francois watching Chinese dramas to improve his Mandarin and making French press coffee.

Open
Membership Rosters & Credentialing Chair

Francois Kaeppelin
Tech Coordinator

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Christopher Duvali
Credentialing Chair

Christopher J. Duvali is currently Treasurer of the Hubert H. Humphrey
Democratic Club. Associate Member on the Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee representing the YES WE CAN DEMOCRATIC CLUB. In 2012 Christopher was endorsed by the Obama 2012 Campaign and elected to be one of the California Delegation at the 2012 convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. He volunteered for the Long Beach Bernie Sanders for President 2016-2020 campaigns. He is a BLUE REVOLUTION CALIFORNIA founder, which is the voice, the force, and the pen to implement inclusivity in the California Democratic Party.

He is currently an elected California Democratic Party Assembly District Election Member for the 70th Assembly District, drafting rules changes for the state conventions and E-Board meetings, speaking before the rules committee on the merit of the amendment in pursuit to one day implement Democracy within the California Democratic Party.

Marium Navid
Communications Chair

Marium is a grassroots organizer working in the field of labor, immigrants’ rights, and civic engagement for the past 7 years. She has experience working with non profits, issue based campaigns, and labor unions to expand base building efforts and advance digital organizing strategy.
 
Marium is also a graduate student at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs where she is focusing on studying economic policy in the context of wealth and income inequality. In addition to working as an issue based consultant, Marium is locally involved in grassroots efforts around environmental justice in Assembly District 66 as well as other initiatives throughout Southern California.
 
She hopes to use her experience in digital organizing and public policy to support the CDC in building a strong Democratic movement throughout CA.