About

Public Access Democracy

Mission

Public Access Democracy advocates for a democratic system more representative of, and responsive to, its citizens by investing decision making power in deliberative citizen groups chosen by lot -- just as juries are.

Coordinating Committee

Wayne Liebman

Wayne Liebman is a physician, playwright, and community organizer. In 2020, he founded Public Access Democracy to advocate for a democratic system more representative of, and responsive to, its citizens. Public Access Democracy seeks to invest political power in deliberative citizen groups chosen by lot -- just as juries are. As a result of Public Access Democracy's advocacy efforts, the city of Petaluma, California, has convened the first municipal citizens' assembly in the state, to recommend a plan for the future use of its municipal fairground--a contentious issue that had been plaguing the city for several years.

Leonora Camner

Leonora Camner is Executive Director of Abundant Housing LA, a pro-housing advocacy and outreach organization. As the first staff member in 2019, she successfully led the effort to advocate for the Coastal Plan at the Southern California Association of Governments. She is currently serving on the Santa Monica Housing Commission.

Outside of Abundant Housing LA, Leonora is a mom of two girls. Previously, she was an attorney working in the non-profit sector to defend tenants from eviction. Additionally, she worked for the No on Measure LV Campaign in Santa Monica against an extreme anti-development ballot measure. She graduated from the University of Texas School of Law. For undergraduate studies, she attended New York University.

Greg Bartlett

Greg Bartlett grew up in an activist household. Dad was an organizer for SEIU-1199 in the Bronx and Mom was a Labor lawyer. He remembers, as a teen, being one of a million who marched against nuclear armament in Manhattan and rode the bus with Vietnam Vets to DC to protest the reinstatement of draft registration in the early 1980s. After decades of hoping for populist change, dreaming of it with Barack Obama, Greg began working for progressive change as an activist and organizer, helping bring SoCalBlue.org a website to connect organizers and activists to life and working with local LA organizers with LA Forward.