Friday, August 7, marked the end of the regular filing period for candidates seeking an Emeryville City Council or School Board seat.
With both City Council incumbents filing for a second term, the Council race is now set. For the Emery Unified School Board, however, the filing period will be extended five days until August 12 because incumbents Susan Donaldson and Brynnda Collins did not file for reelection.
Four City Council Candidates Seek Two Seats
Incumbents David Mourra and Kalimah Priforce have both filed to seek second terms on the Emeryville City Council. They are joined by two challengers competing for the two available four-year seats. The top two vote-getters will join Courtney Welch, Sukhdeep Kaur, and Matthew Solomon on the five-member council. The council serves as the city’s legislative body, setting policy, adopting the annual budget, approving local laws, and making key decisions on land use, housing, transportation, public safety, and infrastructure. Councilmembers also appoint the City Manager and City Attorney, serve on regional boards and commissions, and represent Emeryville’s interests on issues affecting the broader East Bay.
The election is especially significant as whoever is elected will help oversee the city’s response to ongoing fiscal challenges, the proposed Sutter Health medical campus, and other significant housing and development issues.
The following candidate statements were submitted by the candidates and are presented as provided. Any assertions are theirs and have not been fact-checked by our publication.
Corry Frydlewicz (Challenger)
Occupation: Web Developer, Project Manager
I’m your neighbor, a regular working dog mom you’d see walking all over our beloved town and at community events like coastal cleanups. When ICE started terrorizing our cities after the 2024 election, I was afraid. Instead of running away, I decided to find ways a laid-off technical manager could use her skills to protect our sanctuary city. In 2023, our city council approved Flock cameras spying on us 24/7 in several high-density areas. ICE uses data Flock gathers about when we’re not home, where we commute, shop, and drop our kids off at school. All of us, not just criminals. Flock sells that data, stores it insecurely, and coaches local police to sell this grift to cities like ours. We need a councilwoman who asks the right questions and sees through big tech’s lies. We need an organized manager to keep important projects on track. Because more housing equals lower rents. Shorter delays keep roads safe and open. I believe we need to get big money out of politics, so I’m running a truly grassroots DIY campaign supported entirely by volunteers, free from annoying ads and drama. Let’s get things done instead. corry4emeryville.com
Kalimah Atreyu Priforce (Incumbent)
Occupation: Educator, Public Advocate
As a foster care kid from Brooklyn, I fought bullies. I did not back down, and neither should you. I remain the people’s councilmember, your public advocate. Whenever you felt unsafe, ignored, or pushed aside, you came to me. I listened, prayed or meditated, asked uncomfortable questions of those in power, and acted. The Obama White House named me a Champion of Change for my work as a tech innovator, entrepreneur, and educator. As a democratic socialist, I believe City Hall should put working people before corporate power. Since you elected me, I’ve made it harder for City Hall to ignore you, and my proposals are moving Emeryville towards fiscal accountability. I fight for renters, homeowners, mom-and-pop businesses, artists, and ethical governance that stops backroom deals. Life should mean thriving, not living paycheck to paycheck. Rent is too damn high. I pushed for a vacancy tax so empty buildings contribute to Emeryville’s future. I can be long-winded and theatrical, but I refuse to let City Hall hide what affects you. When there is no seat at the table, I bring my own chair. This seat is the people’s seat. The fight is in me. Fight with me.
David Mourra (Incumbent)
Occupation: Emeryville City Councilmember/Engineer
I have lived in Emeryville for 18 years and am proud to raise my family here. I’ve served on Emeryville City Council since 2022 including as the Mayor of Emeryville last year. During my time on council, my focus has been on public safety and ensuring we have clean and well-maintained streets, sidewalks and public spaces.
Beyond these core priorities, I have worked to make Emeryville more livable and sustainable. I expanded bike and pedestrian infrastructure, improved our parks, and introduced citywide environmental initiatives, including electrifying our municipal vehicle fleet. I support smart economic growth through new housing and attracting businesses that strengthen our community and local economy.
As Mayor, I stood up for our values by partnering with the Governor’s office, local elected officials and mayors to protect our community from ICE. Prior to serving on City Council, I gained experience on Emeryville’s Planning Commission and through my professional background as an engineer and project manager in the biotech industry.
My public service is grounded in a love for this city and seeing our government work well for the people it serves. We’ve made a lot of progress as a city, but we still have a long way to go.
Brandon Soublet (Challenger)
Occupation: Public Policy Analyst
Age: 39
I’ve called our community home for three-quarters of my life. From growing up on the North Oakland border to living in the Triangle Neighborhood and now Emery Bay Village, my roots run deep. My parents still live in my childhood home. They are active Emeryville Senior Center members who remind me of what makes our community so special. With a master’s in public policy from Georgetown University and over a decade of policy and communications experience serving federal agencies and private enterprise, I bring real technical expertise to local government. I know our street-level realities firsthand—from chaotic drop-offs at Anna Yates to gaps in our housing inventory, as well as public safety challenges in our neighborhoods and commercial hubs. I’m running to ensure fiscally sensible solutions to keep Emeryville safe, livable, and centered on the people who call it home. This means building walkable and bike-friendly streets that protect children and seniors, expanding housing access so anyone who wants to live in Emeryville can afford to stay, aligning stakeholders to take realistic, equitable steps toward improving public safety, and managing land use and development so that corporate interests don’t outweigh residents’ needs. I’d be honored to earn your vote. Visit brandonsoublet.com.
Five Candidates Seek Three School Board Seats
Five candidates are now seeking the three available seats, with several entering the race since our most recent update. There had been some concern that Brian Donahue could be appointed to the School Board without an election if three or fewer candidates filed for the three available seats. This will be Donahue’s third consecutive attempt at winning a seat on the board. His candidacy also comes after a permanent restraining order was issued against him, an episode that raised questions about his conduct toward local public officials.
The Emery Unified School District Board of Trustees establishes policies that govern the district, adopts the annual budget, approves curriculum and major programs, and hires and evaluates the Superintendent. Trustees oversee the district’s finances, facilities, and long-term strategic direction while working to ensure students receive a high-quality education and that schools remain accountable to the community.
Christopher Keith Allen (Challenger)
Christopher Keith Allen is a 30-year Emeryville resident, father of three, grandfather, and diesel mechanic with Ryder Transportation Services. All three of his children attended Emeryville schools. He is also the chief operating officer of Easter’s Heart CPR Training, LLC, where he teaches CPR and emergency response skills to children and families.
Regina Chagolla (Incumbent)
Regina Chagolla has lived in Emeryville since 2014 and is an elementary school teacher in the Berkeley Unified School District. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a master’s degree in education from UC Berkeley, and a California multiple-subject teaching credential. Chagolla previously worked in curriculum development and implementation at the Lawrence Hall of Science and has experience in K–12 public education.
Brian Donahue (Challenger)
Brian Donahue is a general contractor, an Emeryville resident for more than 40 years, and a longtime resident of the Emeryville Artists’ Cooperative. He previously served on the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and has been active in local civic affairs, regularly participating in public meetings and discussions on community issues.
David Ridlehuber (Challenger)
Ridlehuber is a construction project manager with AvalonBay Communities and a licensed general contractor. His professional background includes construction project management, residential and multifamily housing, building inspections, maintenance operations, and HVAC. He currently serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley.
Kimberly Solis (Challenger)
Solis is an Emery High graduate who excelled on the debate team, earning a scholarship to UC Berkeley. Solis is also a former school board trustee who served from 2020–2024. She works as a Direct Support Professional for Manos Home Care, providing in-home services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Editor’s Note: We have listed candidates alphabetically by last name. The actual order in which candidates will appear on the ballot will be determined by a random drawing.
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