Santa Barbara City Councilmember Meagan Harmon elected chair of Coastal Commission

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Meagan Harmon was unanimously elected chair of the California Coastal Commission during the statewide regulator's meeting in San Diego.

Harmon was appointed to the Coastal Commission in 2021 and has served on the Santa Barbara City Council since 2019 where she represents District 6.

The Lompoc native holds degrees from Wellesly College and Harvard University and is a practicing attorney with a Juris Doctorate from New York University of Law.

In a statement provided by the California Coastal Commission about the election, Harmon shared that her most important job is as a mother of her three children.

The 12-voting members of the Coastal Commission also unanimously elected Caryl Hart as vice chair of the organization.

Hart has an undergraduate degree from Cornell University, a doctorate in environmental policy and management from UC Berkeley, and a law degree from the University of San Francisco.

Both newly-elected leaders of the statewide regulatory body are expected to serve until December of 2026.