Each issue of Stepping Up features one of the hundreds of dynamic and inspiring members of Run Women Run.  Are there members you'd like to see featured?  Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your recommendations.

Run Women Run member Katy Courson interviewed Megan Lim.

Run Women Run Member Since: May 2009.  Megan is currently working on the planning committee for the May 13^th Cocktails and Politics event.

Occupation: Development Director at the San Diego Public Library Foundation

Alma Mater: Bowdoin College - Class Chair and San Diego Club President, past Alumni Council member

Civic Involvement: Board Member, California Association of Nonprofits (CAN); Vice Chair, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN); Member and Past Board Member, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP); Board Member, New Leaders Council (NLC) San Diego; Founding Member, Women Give San Diego; Member, Junior League of San Diego; National Philanthropy Day

Issue I'm Currently Most Passionate About: Education. I strongly believe that education is the only way to make change stick. Education is often the springboard opportunity to better your life. Someone who is literate holds a better job, provides for their family, stays healthy, pursues their dreams ... and when education extends beyond one individual, you can change society's values and that means lasting change.

If I Could Tell the President One Thing, It Would Be: The President and the First Lady, you mean?  Please invest in education, especially for women and girls. Oh, and I love all that the White House kitchen garden stands for.

Fun Fact: I'm learning more about sailboat racing, and one could argue that I pay too much attention to good food, but I'm not convinced that's possible.

Favorite Quote: I don't have one quote but I do find inspiration in people, civic leaders mostly, individuals who make the conscious choice to volunteer, to give back, especially those who do so thoughtfully and with real commitment.

The Final Word: I am immensely grateful for Run Women Run. Over the past year, I've met women who are also committed to immersing themselves in San Diego and civic engagement. A unique asset of Run Women Run is that if offers newcomers to politics, like myself, a comfortable and welcoming environment to get involved in local issues and candidates. The content first got me involved and the camaraderie keeps bringing me back.

Janice Hahn, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California visited with Run Women Run in November. Janice is  the only woman candidate and would be the first woman to hold the seat.

Since being elected in 2001, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn has been a champion for the people.  Following in the footsteps of her father, beloved County Supervisor Kenny Hahn, she is a courageous leader who provides a voice for those that most need to be heard.

Elected to the Charter Reform Commission in 1997, Janice helped move the city in a new direction.  Because of her, Los Angeles now boasts a widely successful neighborhood council system--ensuring that community stakeholders have a say in local issues.

Janice has fought for change at the Port of Los Angeles.  Working to protect and create good paying jobs on the docks, she has also been an advocate for clean air.  Because of Janice, the impacts of port operations, from traffic to noise to pollution, have been significantly reduced.  She spearheaded the program to move goods during off-peak hours.  When everyone said it could not be done, she persisted.  Because of Janice's leadership, more than 35% of goods are now moved during nights and weekends.  More recently, she has been a vocal proponent of the Clean Trucks Program, which will cut pollution from trucks at the port by 80%.

Along with Mayor Jim Hahn, Janice was instrumental in the early development of the waterfront promenade in the Harbor Area.  She has always believed that a grand promenade that stretches from the Vincent Thomas Bridge to the outer breakwater is essential to creating a world-class waterfront.  Once completed, Los Angeles' waterfront will be a source of good jobs and a tourist destination for visitors from all over the state, nation and world.

Janice has been the loudest voice in support of modernizing Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).  At her urging, LAX is currently undergoing an $800 million renovation which includes the addition of new contact gates for the next generation of larger planes.  Modernizing LAX is essential to keeping Los Angeles competitive and attracting both airlines and passengers-giving the tourism industry a much needed jolt.

Janice has established herself as a leader in the fight against gangs in Los Angeles.  She has been a longtime advocate of keeping kids from joining gangs through early prevention.  Working closely with Chief Bratton and rank and file LAPD officers, she has worked diligently to reach every child in Los Angeles before they join gangs--through gang prevention, intervention, job training and after-school programs.

Janice has been a loyal champion in the fight to improve the quality of life for the working men and women of Los Angeles. She is proud to have walked the picket lines with the ILWU when they were locked out of the docks in 2002.  She successfully fought to see that hotel workers along the Century Corridor near LAX received a fair living wage; implemented a system to provide quality family health care for workers at Los Angeles World Airports and has worked to transform truck drivers at the Port of Angeles from struggling, independent drivers into well-paid employee drivers.  She has stood with airport workers, grocery workers, court interpreters, nurses, and others, in the struggle for good jobs.  Janice strongly believes that there should never be a class of people termed the "working poor." People who work hard should not be poor in Los Angeles.

A true champion for the people, Janice has accomplished so much since she was elected. There is no doubt that she will show unrelenting courage as she continues to be a champion for the people when elected as Lieutenant Governor of California in 2010.

Run Women Run celebrated its first anniversary at an an intimate and exclusive holiday cocktail party. It was an evening to socialize and network with San Diego's elected officials and one another.

Olga Diaz, Escondido City Councilmember, spoke to members about her unexpected path into elected office. Several candidates attended and made presentations about their campaigns:

• Francine Busby, candidate for U.S. Congress from the 50th district 
• Tracy Emblem, candidate for U.S. Congress from the 50th district
• Crystal Crawford, candidate for State Assembly from the 74th district

"Run Women Run is well-positioned to make a difference in the 2010 mid-term elections," said President Michelle Burton, managing partner of Shoecraft Burton, a civil litigation law firm. "Since our inception last October, Run Women Run's membership has grown to more than 200 of the most prominent and forward-thinking women from San Diego's business, professional, and political communities.

"Run Women Run was founded to correct the under-representation of women in state and local government," Burton continued. "We focus on identifying, mentoring and financially supporting progressive, pro-choice women candidates."Founded in 2008, Run Women Run inspires, identifies, mentors, and supports qualified pro-choice San Diego women who run for office or seek appointed government positions. 

Run Women Run is an intergenerational, multicultural and multi-issue nonpartisan membership organization that provides campaign training, technical assistance and hands on volunteer help.  Run Women Run is open to anyone who is interested in running for office, becoming involved in the political process, and supporting women who run for office.