27 Facts About Wilma Chan

Wilma Chan was an American politician in California serving on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

Wilma Chan served as Assembly Majority Whip from 2001 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2004 as Assembly Majority Leader, the first woman and the first Asian American to hold the position.

In 2008, Chan lost a Democratic Party primary election for the California State Senate District 9 seat.

On November 3,2021, while walking her dog, Wilma Chan was struck and killed by a vehicle in the City of Alameda, California.

Wilma Chan was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Chinese immigrant parents.

Wilma Chan held a BA from Wellesley and a master's degree in Education Policy from the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Wilma Chan won election to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in 1994, the first Asian American to do so, and was reelected unopposed in 1998.

Wilma Chan was the first chair of the Alameda County Children and Families Commission that annually distributed $20 million for children's services.

Wilma Chan initiated a pilot welfare-to-work project in Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood, and developed the strategic plan on the future of health care services in Alameda County.

Wilma Chan declared her candidacy for California Assembly District 16 by mid-June 1999.

Beyond her role as majority leader and whip, Wilma Chan served in several committees during her time in the Assembly.

Wilma Chan served as a Chair of the Health committee, Chair of the Select Committee on Language Access to State Services, and Vice Chair of the Asian-Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

Wilma Chan served as a member of the committees on Aging and Long Term Care, Jobs, Economic Development, Government Organization, and Banking and Finance.

Wilma Chan was a member of the Legislative Women's Caucus, Environmental Caucus, Internet Caucus and Smart Growth Caucus.

Wilma Chan authored legislation to phase out birth defect and cancer causing chemicals in California.

Wilma Chan expanded preschool opportunities for toddlers by working to gain $100 million in the state budget.

Wilma Chan carried landmark legislation to make affordable health insurance available to 800,000 uninsured California children.

In 2003, Wilma Chan considered running for Don Perata's State Senate District 9 seat.

Wilma Chan hired her own lawyers who offered the opposite finding, but she did not challenge Perata in the primary or contest Lockyer's findings.

In 2005, Wilma Chan briefly considered a run for Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 3, but decided against because she wanted to focus her attention on legislating in 2006 and on her 2008 Senate campaign [1].

In 2008 Wilma Chan ran for the District 9 seat against current Berkeley Assembly member Loni Hancock.

In 2010, Wilma Chan ran for her old seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

Wilma Chan was re-elected unopposed in 2014 and 2018, as a nonpartisan candidate.

Wilma Chan proposed that the City of San Leandro donate $1 million per year for three years.

Wilma Chan was a resident of Oakland for more than 20 years and later moved to Alameda.

Wilma Chan was married to a public school teacher and has two children and two grandchildren.

On November 3,2021, while walking her dog, Wilma Chan was struck by the driver of a vehicle near the intersection of Shore Line Drive and Grand Street in Alameda.