Leo’s Legacy | Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good

Commemorating Leo T. McCarthy’s Desk

In today’s blog, we cite the words of Conna McCarthy, daughter of Lt. Governor Leo T. McCarthy and Council Member for the City of Piedmont. Conna commemorates arrival of the Lt. Governor’s desk in the McCarthy Center and introduces Lt. Governor Eleni Koulanakis who attended the celebration in the center’s Open House last week. “Today…

Recollections from Janet and Clint Reilly

Next week, we will present the Leo T. McCarthy Award for Public Service to philanthropists Clint and Janet Reilly. We sat down with them this last month when they shared their memories of the Lieutenant Governor and speculated about his assessment of today’s political landscape. This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity….

Leo at the Creation

In this weeks blog, the Center’s founding director, Richard Spohn, recalls working alongside the Lt. Governor and the motivation behind creating the center. A rare privilege it was to work with Leo McCarthy in setting on a solid foundation and off on a true trajectory the Center for Public Service and the Common Good. Genial,…

Living a Life of Purpose

In this week’s blog, former staffer for Leo T. McCarthy, Jason Warburg, recalls his favorite memories with the Lt. Governor and the small moments that reflected his values and love for his work. Read Jason’s piece on Leo as an inspirational leader and learn more about our Center’s namesake. “The past is a foreign country;…

Recalling Leo’s Legacy

Last week marked the passing of our Center’s founder, Lt. Governor Leo T. McCarthy, 14 years ago. As a progressive advocate for the common good, he inspired those around him—like his former Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, Steve Hopcraft. Read on for Hopcraft’s reflection on Leo’s legacy. I’m the sixth child of an Irish…

Now More Than Ever

This week we hear from two people who knew the Center’s founder, Leo T. McCarthy. One is Trish Fontana, a former intern who in turn, managed the Lt. Governor’s interns and has gone on to a long career in state government. The other is Star Plaxton Moore, an early staff member of the Center, now…

Recalling Leo — A Message to our Fellows

Barbara Sobel worked for Leo McCarthy from 1987-1994. She started as a volunteer on his first US Senate race and moved to the Lt. Governor’s office where she served first as a field representative and later as a member of senior staff team as director of special projects. She is now a clinical nutritionist in…

We Weren’t Born to Follow

Trish Fontana was a former staffer for Leo T. McCarthy. She has also worked for two California Lt. Governors, two Governors, two First Ladies and two State Senators. She continues to work in the State Capitol, currently for Senator Richard D. Roth, a retired Major Air Force General who represents Riverside. This past weekend, I…

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