Rosemary Kamei is one of San José's most experienced public servants, bringing decades of government and civic leadership to her role representing District 1 on the San José City Council. She was elected to the council in June 2022 with over 60% of the popular vote and was officially sworn into office in January 2023. Shortly after taking office, she was nominated by Mayor Matt Mahan and confirmed by her colleagues to serve as Vice Mayor, a role she held through 2024.
Kamei grew up in the Bronx, New York, though she has lived her entire adult life in Santa Clara County. Her father immigrated to the United States from China and her mother is from Puerto Rico. Her first language was Spanish, and as an English Language Learner herself, she has a personal understanding of the obstacles many immigrant families face in accessing quality education and building a stable future.
Kamei holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from San José State University. Her professional career has been varied and community-oriented. She previously served as vice president of development and senior manager at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, and later as vice president of innovation and former chief operating officer at the Silicon Valley Education Foundation. She has also been a college professor and ran a small nursery business for several years.
Before joining the City Council, Kamei accumulated an impressive record of elected and appointed service. She spent 17 years as a Director of the Santa Clara Valley Water District and served seven years as a Trustee on the Santa Clara County Board of Education. She also served on Morgan Hill's Planning Commission and as president of the Baker West Neighborhood Association in her own West San José community.
District 1 covers West San José, encompassing neighborhoods around the Winchester Mystery House, Santana Row, Westgate West, De Anza Boulevard, and Stevens Creek, and borders the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Santa Clara, and Saratoga. Her election was notable in part because, as Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee noted at the time, it brought Asian and Pacific Islander representation back to the San José City Council.
In office, Kamei has focused on public safety, housing, homelessness, traffic safety, and responsible neighborhood development. In her first six months, she hosted office hours, attended 15 neighborhood association meetings, and organized trash pickups throughout the district. She secured $45,000 for safety measures along the westside's most dangerous corridors, $117,000 for tree trimming, and dispersed a $75,000 grant to West Valley Community Services.
Politically, Kamei is considered a more progressive, labor-leaning representative, but her votes have often been surprising — she frequently serves as the swing vote on a divided council, siding at times with the moderate mayor and at others with more progressive colleagues. She is widely described by peers as a bridge builder and collaborator in a city known for its factional political divisions. Her current council term runs through December 2026.
