Meet Charlene Wang
Living the American Dream, Fighting to Restore It
Charlene Wang proudly represents District 2 on the Oakland City Council, where she is focused on improving public safety, expanding economic opportunity, and delivering more effective and equitable government services. Elected in April 2025, she brings experience reforming government systems at the federal, state, and local levels to tackle Oakland’s most pressing challenges.
Growing Up in the East Bay
An East Bay native, Charlene has dedicated her career to advocating for disadvantaged communities in areas including homelessness, transportation, education, healthcare, and environmental justice. Her commitment is deeply personal—shaped by her family’s experience with poverty and violence and her belief that government should create opportunity for everyone.
Charlene holds an Environmental Engineering degree with honors from Columbia University and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has served in the Biden-Harris administration, leading a multibillion-dollar initiative to reconnect communities divided by highways, and has worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on environmental justice and civil rights.
Since taking office, Charlene has prioritized restoring trust in public institutions, addressing encampments with urgency and compassion, improving 911 and emergency response systems, and bringing data-informed oversight to city spending while modernizing operations across departments. She regularly partners with neighborhood leaders, local businesses, and community organizations to identify needs and deliver solutions—approaching the work with urgency, humility, and optimism.
Driven by the belief that strong communities make effective government possible, Charlene is committed to building a safer, cleaner, and more just Oakland—and to ensuring the city works for every resident.
