Shana Charles
Academic and professional background
Shana Charles earned three degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): a B.A. in political science and public policy, a Master of Public Policy (MPP) focusing on urban planning and health, and a Ph.D. in health policy. She joined the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) and spent 15 years there, including six years as director of the Health Insurance Studies Program and nine years as a senior research scientist. Charles’s research examines discontinuous health insurance; periods when people lose or change coverage, and she directs the State of Health Insurance in California (SHIC) report and serves on the cost team for the California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP), helping to analyze the fiscal impact of state health‑insurance mandates.
In 2015 she joined California State University Fullerton (CSUF) and is now an associate professor of public health. She teaches health‑policy courses and continues to study access to care and under‑insurance. Charles frequently provides analysis to media outlets such as National Public Radio (NPR) and national television news and is viewed as a nationally recognized expert on public policy. She has served as a cost analyst for the California legislature and participates in state health‑policy panels.
Civic involvement and community service
Before entering elected office, Charles spent two years (2019‑2020) as chair of Fullerton’s Community Development Citizens Committee, directing federal funds to repair roads, assist homeowners and provide mental‑health services for people experiencing homelessness.
Her curriculum vitae lists numerous public‑service roles: she serves on the California Health Interview Survey Adult Technical Advisory Committee and the board of Insure the Uninsured Project. In 2023, California Assemblymember Sharon Quirk‑Silva honored her as a “Woman of Distinction”
Election to Fullerton City Council
In November 2022 Charles won election to the Fullerton City Council representing District 3. The Fullerton Observer notes that she is the tenth woman ever elected to the council. In 2024, she was selected as Mayor Pro Tem. Charles is running for reelection in 2026.
