Steve is a life-long resident of the North County, having grown up in Atascadero. He and his wife of nearly 50 years, Jennifer, have lived in Paso Robles since 1973. They raised their two daughters, Nora and Jamie, here. They have four grand-children. Steve has been involved with the community via media, service clubs, City Council and other agencies. Following, a partial list of Steve’s involvements.
GOVERNMENT
- Paso Robles Mayor, 2014 – Present
- Paso Robles City Council, 2012 – Present
- President, Channel Counties Division, League of California Cities
- Policy Committee: Governance/Transparency/Labor, League of California Cities
- Founder: Mayor’s Diversity Panel
- Founder: Citizens COVID-19 Coalition
- Chairman, Housing Constraints & Opportunities Committee
- Member, Twin Cities Hospital Governing Board
- Liaison, San Luis Obispo County Homeless Services Oversight Committee
- Liaison, Paso Robles Airport Commission
- Liaison, Paso Robles Youth Council
- Liaison, Travel Paso Robles Association
- Liaison, SLO-Cal County Tourism Committee
- Alternate Liaison, San Luis Obispo County Council of Governments/Regional Transportation Authority
- Paso Robles City Council, 1987 – 1996
- Paso Robles Mayor, 1988 – 1990
COMMUNITY
- Former Board member, CommunityLink – Non-Profit organization offering Homeless Services, 0-5 Health Navigator, Family Advocacy, Parenting Classes, Youth Programs and Resource Centers.
- Former board member, El Camino Homeless Organization
Atascadero Chamber Community Volunteer of the Year 2007 - Past-Chairman, Atascadero Colony Days
- Founding chairman, Mission Oaks Unit, American Cancer Society
- Former board member, San Luis Obispo County Hospice
- Past-president, Paso Robles Kiwanis
- Past-president, Paso Robles Optimist Club
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Owner, S.W. Martin & Associates – Communication/Marketing/Advertising
Owner/operator: Internet Radio Station VoiceOfPaso.com
Previous Experience:
- Director of Tourism/Public Information Representative, City of Atascadero
- Executive Director/Main Street Association, City of Atascadero
- Managing Member, The Tourist LLC (travel publications)
- Director of Marketing & Community Relations, Twin Cities Community Hospital
- Editor, Paso Robles Country News
- Director of News & Operations, KPRL-AM/KDDB-FM
- Founder, PRPR, (Paso Robles Public Relations), full service advertising agency
EDUCATION
- California State University Fresno, CA – Journalism – Bachelor of Arts, Journalism – Magna Cum Laude. Member, Phi Kappa Phi academic honor society.
- California Polytechnic State University- San Luis Obispo, CA – Undergraduate studies in Physics, Organic and inorganic chemistry, analytic geometry, Calculus
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Database Programming – Developed commercially marketed office management software for veterinary practices.
- The Arts – Plays numerous musical instruments. Composer of numerous songs/lyrics. Author of seven stageplays (When Forever Ends, The Last Talk Show, Halfway to Paradise, Karma! The Cosmic Credit Card, POW, Encounter At Bowleg Junction, Educating Cheetah), the historic non-fiction book Atascadero, the fiction novels 39: 100111 and Watermelon Dreams, the autobiographical novel The High Road and a collection of poems, Perpendicular | At Write Angles to Myself.