Steven Choi was elected Mayor of Irvine in November 2012. He was
elected to the Irvine City Council for the first time in 2004 and was re-elected
to a second term in 2008. Previously, he served 6 years as an elected Trustee of
the Irvine Unified School District.
Steven is a passionate and experienced educator. After earning his
bachelor's degree from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea, he immigrated
to the United States as a Peace Corps language instructor for the State
Department in August, 1968. He then continued his post-graduate studies, earning
his master's degree in Library Science from Louisiana State University, and his
Ph.D. in Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Since
then, he resumed his teaching career, primarily in higher education at several
universities and colleges including USC, UCI, California State University, Los
Angeles, Henderson State University in Arkansas, Saddleback College, and most
recently, Coastline Community College.
In many ways, Steven's vision for the City is to maintain and
improve the quality of life for its citizens by assuring responsible growth,
effectively managing traffic, keeping Irvine as one of America's safest cities,
and providing quality education for our children, while ensuring the City's
fiscal stability and growth.
Irvine's cultural and ethnic diversity and harmony serves as a
very important role on Steven's agenda. Enthusiastic about expanding Irvine's
cultural diversity, he has organized and participated in many largescale city
events such as the Irvine Global Village Festival and Korean American Day
Festival. He also values Irvine's wonderful assets comprising of its aesthetic
beauty, high standard of living, and high intellectual standards. Most
importantly, he is strongly aware of the importance of listening to the voices
of Irvine residents. He sends out highlights of the City's news via his
eNewsletter on a steady basis, encouraging residents to get involved by asking
for their opinions on particular issues and proposals discussed at the City
Council Meetings.
Hoping to provide a sufficient educational and desirable
experience for Irvine residents, he is exceptionally committed to supporting
programs for children and senior citizens. Steven has contributed to Irvine's
education as the founder and director of highly academically successful Dr.
Choi's Academy. The Academy focuses on providing tutoring and academic
enrichment programs for students. Along side Steven, his wife, Janie, has also
been serving Irvine children over 21 years with Kumon Math and Reading academic
program.
In addition to his City Council appointments, Steven is a member
of the Concordia University President's Advisory Council and Irvine Library
Advisory committee. Steven is also Irvine's key representative of the Orange
County Public Library Advisory Board, the Orange County Vector Control Board,
and the Santa Ana River Flood Protection Agency Commission.
Since 1993, Steven has lived in Irvine with his wife, Janie, and
their two children, Daniel and Michelle, who attended Eastshore Elementary,
Lakeside Middle School, Rancho Middle School, and University High School. Daniel
received his BS from Stanford University and his MD from UCSD. He is now working
as a resident physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Michelle
received her BA from UCSD and now attends the University of Michigan Law School.
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