Sepi Shyne | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Mayor of West Hollywood | |
In office January 9, 2023 – January 16, 2024 | |
Preceded by | Lauren Meister |
Succeeded by | John M. Erickson |
Mayor pro Tempore of West Hollywood | |
In office August 16, 2021 – January 9, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Lauren Meister |
Succeeded by | John M. Erickson |
Member of the West Hollywood City Council | |
Assumed office December 7, 2020 | |
Preceded by | John Heilman |
Personal details | |
Born | Sepideh Ghafouri February 19, 1977 Mashhad, Iran |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Ashlei Shyne
(
m. 2014;
sep. 2022) |
Alma mater |
San Jose State University (
BS) Golden Gate University School of Law ( JD) |
Sepideh Shyne (née Ghafouri; born February 19, 1977) is an Iranian-born American attorney, civil rights advocate, and member of the West Hollywood City Council who has been serving as West Hollywood's mayor since 2023. [1] Shyne is the first LGBTQ+ Iranian-American to be elected to office as well as the first woman of color elected to the West Hollywood City Council, with her election making the first female-majority council in the city's history. [2] [3] [4] She was an unsuccessful candidate to represent California's 30th congressional district in the 2024 election to succeed Adam Schiff who vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. [5]
Shyne was born Sepideh Ghafouri on February 19, 1977, in Mashhad, Iran, with her family fleeing Iran in 1982 due to the Iranian Revolution. [6] They moved to Santa Clara Valley, California, where she attended De Anza College and later transferred to San Jose State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science. [2] She later got her Juris Doctor at Golden Gate University School of Law before moving to Los Angeles in 2006, relocating to West Hollywood afterwards. [3] In 2009, she founded the company Soulillume, which specializes in reiki. [7]
After graduating from law school, Shyne was elected to the Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom. [8] After moving to West Hollywood, she was elected to the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles, becoming its co-president in 2008. [9] [10]
In 2018, Shyne was appointed to West Hollywood's Gay and Lesbian Advisory Board, where her colleges encouraged her to get into electoral politics. [11] That year, she announced that she would be running for West Hollywood City Council, but lost to incumbent John D’Amico by a small margin. [12] She then ran in the next election in 2020, where she won the top seat in the election. [3] [13] She was sworn in on December 7, 2020. [14]
On August 16, 2021, West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath selected Shyne as the new Mayor pro Tempore, with the City Council unanimously voting in favor of her appointment. [2] On December 19, 2022, the City Council voted to appoint Shyne as the next Mayor, succeeding Lauren Meister. [15] She was sworn in on January 9, 2023. [16] In February 2023, Shyne announced that she would be running for California's 30th congressional district, an open seat vacated by incumbent Adam Schiff's run for Senate. [7] [5] She lost the primary against Laura Friedman and Alex Balekian, conceding defeat on March 6, 2024. [17] In April 2024, Shyne announced that she would not be seeking re-election to the City Council. [18] [19]
Shyne is a lesbian. [20] In 2014, Shyne married actress Ashlei Shyne and took her last name. [21]
Although she grew up as a Muslim, she no longer practices the faith, although she has described herself as "very spiritual." [11] She has a pet dog, Chloe Shyne, who as part of West Hollywood's Pet Mayor program was sworn in as the first Pet Mayor of West Hollywood on April 1, 2023. [22]
Sepi Shyne | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Mayor of West Hollywood | |
In office January 9, 2023 – January 16, 2024 | |
Preceded by | Lauren Meister |
Succeeded by | John M. Erickson |
Mayor pro Tempore of West Hollywood | |
In office August 16, 2021 – January 9, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Lauren Meister |
Succeeded by | John M. Erickson |
Member of the West Hollywood City Council | |
Assumed office December 7, 2020 | |
Preceded by | John Heilman |
Personal details | |
Born | Sepideh Ghafouri February 19, 1977 Mashhad, Iran |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Ashlei Shyne
(
m. 2014;
sep. 2022) |
Alma mater |
San Jose State University (
BS) Golden Gate University School of Law ( JD) |
Sepideh Shyne (née Ghafouri; born February 19, 1977) is an Iranian-born American attorney, civil rights advocate, and member of the West Hollywood City Council who has been serving as West Hollywood's mayor since 2023. [1] Shyne is the first LGBTQ+ Iranian-American to be elected to office as well as the first woman of color elected to the West Hollywood City Council, with her election making the first female-majority council in the city's history. [2] [3] [4] She was an unsuccessful candidate to represent California's 30th congressional district in the 2024 election to succeed Adam Schiff who vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. [5]
Shyne was born Sepideh Ghafouri on February 19, 1977, in Mashhad, Iran, with her family fleeing Iran in 1982 due to the Iranian Revolution. [6] They moved to Santa Clara Valley, California, where she attended De Anza College and later transferred to San Jose State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science. [2] She later got her Juris Doctor at Golden Gate University School of Law before moving to Los Angeles in 2006, relocating to West Hollywood afterwards. [3] In 2009, she founded the company Soulillume, which specializes in reiki. [7]
After graduating from law school, Shyne was elected to the Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom. [8] After moving to West Hollywood, she was elected to the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles, becoming its co-president in 2008. [9] [10]
In 2018, Shyne was appointed to West Hollywood's Gay and Lesbian Advisory Board, where her colleges encouraged her to get into electoral politics. [11] That year, she announced that she would be running for West Hollywood City Council, but lost to incumbent John D’Amico by a small margin. [12] She then ran in the next election in 2020, where she won the top seat in the election. [3] [13] She was sworn in on December 7, 2020. [14]
On August 16, 2021, West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath selected Shyne as the new Mayor pro Tempore, with the City Council unanimously voting in favor of her appointment. [2] On December 19, 2022, the City Council voted to appoint Shyne as the next Mayor, succeeding Lauren Meister. [15] She was sworn in on January 9, 2023. [16] In February 2023, Shyne announced that she would be running for California's 30th congressional district, an open seat vacated by incumbent Adam Schiff's run for Senate. [7] [5] She lost the primary against Laura Friedman and Alex Balekian, conceding defeat on March 6, 2024. [17] In April 2024, Shyne announced that she would not be seeking re-election to the City Council. [18] [19]
Shyne is a lesbian. [20] In 2014, Shyne married actress Ashlei Shyne and took her last name. [21]
Although she grew up as a Muslim, she no longer practices the faith, although she has described herself as "very spiritual." [11] She has a pet dog, Chloe Shyne, who as part of West Hollywood's Pet Mayor program was sworn in as the first Pet Mayor of West Hollywood on April 1, 2023. [22]