With two open seats in the upcoming 2024 City Council elections, Beverly Hills is gearing up for a potentially seismic shift in its political landscape and BHUSD School Board Member Mary Wells is wasting no time in tossing her hat in the ring.
The longtime resident and civic leader officially declared her candidacy on Aug. 24 and is running on a platform of integrity, transparency and safety.
“I am deeply passionate about Beverly Hills—our rich history and the wonderful sense of community,” said Wells in her campaign announcement. “As a council member, I will bring together diverse points of view from all parts of our community to build a citywide coalition to create a path forward.”
The seats of Councilmember Lili Bosse and Mayor Dr. Julian Gold will be vacant in the next election.
The wide-open field means Wells may face many competitors, but she is hoping that her dedicated service on the School Board as well as her early campaign kickoff will set her candidacy apart.
“Throughout my career, I have been intentional about lifting up young people, supporting families and empowering our community,” she said. “I have a proven track record of getting things done with integrity, and I am eager to speak with residents one door at a time.”
Wells was elected to the Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education in 2020 and is the immediate past president of the board.
Wells says she is proud of the essential role she played in getting the district’s flailing construction projects back on track by leading an initiative to restructure the board’s bond program. She also takes credit for significant cost savings for the district by spearheading financial audits and vendor performance assessments.
“Transformative changes have happened at the school district over the past few years, in particular with our construction and our security programs, which were hard fought. It took leadership, hard work and ultimately consensus building to effect positive changes we now see. These are the qualities that I will bring to City Council,” Wells told the Courier.
Wells holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management (specializing in Finance and Accounting) from the University of Southern California. She has extensive experience in construction, in brand management for the Walt Disney Company and account management and municipal bond trading with Shearson Lehman and Hutton.
Now she seeks to leverage her skills in construction risk management, finance and collaborative problem solving to help preserve the special Beverly Hills quality of life for the next generation of residents.
Prior to launching her campaign, Wells held a meeting with residents to try and determine the biggest issues facing the community. One overwhelming theme arose: safety.
“We must address the mounting factors impacting our safety and security,” said Wells. “We have one of the finest police departments in the country. I want them to continue to have the resources they need to protect our city.”
Other key issues Wells took note of were neighborhood traffic, the sustainability of the city, and the city’s infrastructure. Wells believes that her breadth of professional experience and community involvement gives her well-rounded insights into the different issues facing the community today.
“Truly my greatest joy is the connection I share with this community. Building these collaborative relationships is not only informative but also incredibly rewarding and fruitful. I have always made a point of being accessible to everyone and will continue to be throughout my campaign and hopefully, my service on council,” Wells told the Courier.
In addition to her role on the School Board, Wells has participated in the Beverly Hills Rotary Club, Team Beverly Hills, Just In Case Beverly Hills, Visionary Women, Beverly Hills Fire Department C.E.R.T. Program and Next BH Committee.
