DATE: September 22, 2021
TO: Mayor Todd Gloria
FROM: Councilmember Vivian Moren
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera
SUBJECT: Nomination of Ms. Marlena Balderas to the Ethics Commission (Print Memo)
We are pleased to nominate Ms. Marlena Balderas to the City of San Diego’s Ethics Commission.
Ms. Balderas is employed as a Deputy Public Defender with the County of San Diego where she provides legal representation, consultation, and advice to indigent clients. Ms. Balderas handles all necessary tasks to provide proficient defense for her clients and upholds ethical duties of loyalty and confidentiality to her client throughout all legal representation.
Ms. Balderas’ dedication to public service extends outside of the workplace. She has donated her time doing policy work for various local non-profits including Think Dignity, the Public Defender Association and ACLU. In 2019, Ms. Balderas was honored by former Assemblymember Todd Gloria as a Woman of Distinction of the 78th Assembly District in the category of Public Safety.
Ms. Balderas, a first-generation Mexican-American, attended Arizona State University for her undergraduate degree and graduated with dual degrees in Political Science and Public Relations, earning a degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She was the first in her family to attend law school and earned her law degree from California Western School of Law.
Ms. Balderas’ experience as a Public Defender, along with her exceptional work ethic and impeccable integrity will make her a valuable asset to the Ethics Commission. Thank you for the opportunity to nominate such a well-qualified and experienced candidate.
