Planning to hit the dais with a familial approach

Alicia Robinson

Katrina Foley is known to friends and family as a go-to person.

“I’m pretty much an optimist,” she said. “I always teach my kids,

‘Don’t say can’t. Somebody can always do it.’”

And Foley usually does. An attorney in private practice and a city

planning commissioner since 1999, Foley is also the mother of two

school-age boys, serves on the PTA and helps bring extracurricular

programs to their school. Now she’d like to be a member of the City

Council.

After graduating from law school, Foley worked in a small

employment law firm. While on maternity leave, she decided she wanted

to open her own firm so she’d have more time to spend with her family

and participate in the community.

She and a partner opened their practice, Lents & Foley LLP, in a

tiny office, initially sharing a desk and computer. After nine

months, they were able to expand into a larger office and hire law

clerks and a secretary. A growing part of the practice is counseling

small businesses about labor codes and other legal areas, Foley said.

“The great thing about employment law is it’s about people,” she

said. “Every story is different. There’s nothing boring in the

employment law field.”

As a planning commissioner, Foley said she likes learning about

architecture, the environment and other planning issues.

“I actually enjoy listening to what everyone thinks about

something and trying to come up with a compromise,” she said. “It’s

just something that has enhanced my life.”

Working on the Home Ranch project with the commission was the most

rewarding part of her community involvement so far. She learned how

to analyze information, lead meetings and balance business interests

with community benefits, she said.

As a council member, Foley said she would encourage the city to

help improve school athletic facilities and find new funding for

recreation programs instead of cutting them.

“We have a growing number of young families in our community, and

I think that’s a good thing,” she said. “I’m running because I think

we need balanced, professional leadership. I think we need a council

who is interested in making Costa Mesa better for families and makes

that a priority.”