Josh Newman '82
Senior Fellow, UC Irvine School of Social Ecology
Josh Newman is a former member of the California State Senate, where he represented the 29th Senate District, which included portions of Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties.
Prior to running for public office, his professional career included service as an officer in the United States Army; executive-level positions for a series of start-ups in the Internet and mobile technology sectors; and the founding and operation of ArmedForce2Workforce, an initiative to assist young veterans in the OC/Greater Los Angeles area in the pursuit of rewarding, career-oriented post-service employment.
Prior to running for public office, his professional career included service as an officer in the United States Army; executive-level positions for a series of start-ups in the Internet and mobile technology sectors; and the founding and operation of ArmedForce2Workforce, an initiative to assist young veterans in the OC/Greater Los Angeles area in the pursuit of rewarding, career-oriented post-service employment.
Throughout his time in the Legislature, Josh focused on finding commonsense, pragmatic solutions to help improve quality of life for California families. He successfully authored more than 40 pieces of legislation, and his legislative priorities included transparency in government and election reform; developing effective, market-based policies to advance California’s transition to renewable energy, decarbonize transportation, reform battery and textile recycling, and expand California’s housing supply; aligning California’s workforce to its rapidly evolving 21st century economy; addressing the root causes of homelessness; and improving California’s educational systems and enhancing student outcomes.
Josh is a graduate of Yale University, majoring in history, with a focus on 20th century American politics and government. His military experience included active-duty assignments with a nuclear artillery detachment in the Republic of Korea and a conventional field artillery battalion in the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. He and his wife, Darcy Lewis, reside in Fullerton with their daughter and their three weird but lovable rescue Chihuahuas.
