Legislative Assistant

James Sofranko

James Sofranko is a sixth generation Californian and longtime resident of the Central Coast. He has served as Supervisor Paulding's Legislative Assistant since January 2023 when he was sworn into office. Previously, James was a communications and strategy consultant working primarily with Central Coast nonprofits and community groups seeking to address some of the Central Coast’s toughest challenges.

James graduated summa cum laude from Cal Poly (class of ’15) with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Women and Gender Studies and earned a Master of Science in Law with a focus in Government Law and Policy from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Upon graduating from Cal Poly, he served as an AmeriCorps VIP Fellow where he recruited and trained crisis support counselors for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in SLO County. He has also worked as a career coach helping SLO County teens and young adults with barriers to employment gain career skills and find jobs.

James is passionate about public service and ensuring the public receives the best from their government.

You can reach James by emailing [email protected] or calling 805-781-4337.

Planning Commissioner

Mariam Shah

Mariam Shah was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended the University of Michigan, double majoring in Spanish and American Culture. She has a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and spent seven years as a corporate litigator in New York City, Cleveland, Ohio and Akron, Ohio, representing businesses of all sizes. In 2008, she and her husband drove up Highway 1 and immediately decided the Central Coast was a great place to escape midwestern winters and raise a family. 

Mariam ran for Grover Beach City Council in 2014. During her time on the council, she served on the executive committees of the Homeless Services Oversight Committee (2 years as chair), the Air Pollution Control District (2 years as chair), and the CA League of Cities. She spent several years on the Grover Heights Elementary PTA executive committee and currently serves as the Treasurer for the Oceano Elementary PTA.  She recently completed a term on the Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel and serves on the executive board of the Five Cities Homeless Coalition.  Mariam also works part-time as a Community Organizer for a local healthcare nonprofit.  In her spare time, she is usually at one of her daughter’s games or talking about cars with her son.  She enjoys life on the Arroyo Grande Mesa in a multigenerational living situation with her extended family. 

Parks & Recreation Commissioner

Bruce Hilton

Bruce Hilton grew up east of Arroyo Grande on a ranch and attended local schools through high school. He moved away temporarily to attend school in Switzerland and then obtained an undergraduate degree in Engineering Sciences at Harvard University.  Bruce moved back home and began a career in engineering while earning a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly.  Feeling fortunate to be a part of this community, giving back through volunteer work has always been important to Bruce.  He first became a volunteer with the County when he was asked to be a member of the County Trails Advisory Committee in 2003.  Adopting green building strategies, Bruce and his wife Mitra handled the design and construction of their Arroyo Grande home and their family has resided there since 2007.

Bruce is active in youth sports, coaching soccer and basketball teams and also savors the times when he steps back and watches his daughter’s dance performances, or is a spectator at his son’s baseball games. Bruce enjoys being outdoors, mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding, as well as backpacking in local wilderness areas and in the Sierras. Most recent camping trips have been as an assistant scoutmaster for his son’s Boy Scout troop. Having worked at Lopez Lake as a summer job while in college, it is now rewarding for Bruce to be able to help guide a vision for the development of all County Parks as well as advise on budget considerations and be involved in community relations as a member of the County Parks Commission.

Civil Service Commissioner

David Warren

For forty-two years Dave Warren has been an attorney whose practice has emphasized employment counseling and litigation. He has represented employees and employers in private industry and public employment in disputes and litigation including discrimination, sexual harassment, violation of public policy and wrongful termination in state and federal courts. He has also represented clients before the Civil Service Commission, the State Personnel Board and other public employment forums.

Since 2016, Dave has served as an arbitrator, mediator, and workplace investigator. He obtained advanced mediation training through Pepperdine University and arbitration training through the Advanced Arbitration Academy at USC. Dave also conducts workplace investigations and provides counseling on investigations to employers, managers, and employees. Dave serves as Temporary Judge for the courts of San Luis Obispo and has done so for Los Angeles County. He also serves as a Special Master and Discovery Referee. He is an attorney-client fee arbitrator for the County of San Luis Obispo and California State Bar Associations.

In his spare time, Dave loves to write mystery/thriller books, so the creation of realistic characters and compelling plots is also a passion. Dave considers his appointment to the Civil Service Commission as an opportunity to use his legal experience to serve the County and looks forward to tackling the challenges ahead.

Commission on the Status of Women and Girls

Amy Hart

Amy Hart holds an M.A. in History from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a Ph.D. in History with a designated emphasis in Feminist Studies from UC Santa Cruz. Her research in graduate school focused on female social reformers in the Antebellum Period of U.S. history, including women who participated in the abolition and women’s rights movements. She has published articles on a variety of historical topics, and is particularly interested in California history.  

Amy has served as a lecturer in the History department and the Women’s and Gender Studies department at Cal Poly, as well as worked as a historical consultant at Albion Environmental, Inc., a cultural resource management company in San Luis Obispo. Since 2019, she has been the District Historian for the San Luis Obispo Coast District of California State Parks. In 2022, she completed the Leadership SLO program managed by the Chamber of Commerce. Amy is dedicated to elevating the voices and stories of women in history and the present.

Commission on Aging

Anne McCracken

Anne McCracken is a passionate advocate for older adults in San Luis Obispo County. Formerly a California Council of Residential Specialist. Anne currently represents San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties on the California Senior Legislature and Area Agency on Aging, and is a member of the Arroyo Grande Valley Kiwanis Club. Anne is also well known in the South County community for her tireless dedication to the Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival Association.