Mary Hayashi

Mary Hayashi has worked for several non-profit and philanthropic organizations dedicated to healthcare issues including the American Public Health Association, the Foundation Consortium for California’s Children and Youth, and the National Asian Women’s Health Organization. In 2016 Mary Hayashi was appointed Project Director of the Women’s Sport Safety Initiative, a special project fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation dedicated to protecting the lives of women and girls by raising awareness of sports-related injuries.

During her 2014 senate campaign, Hayashi denied that she was responsible for the shoplifting incident, citing a medical condition and distraction.

In February 2014, Hayashi announced her candidacy in the 2014 Democratic primary election for the California State Senate, in the 10th District.

On June 3, 2014, Mary Hayashi placed third in the District 10 Blanket Primary, behind Democrat Bob Wieckowski and Republican Peter Kuo, with Wieckowski later defeating Kuo in the runoff election on November 4.

Hayashi unsuccessfully ran for Alameda County Board of Supervisors seat 2 in 2012. She came in third after Richard Valle and Union City Mayor Mark Green.

In late October 2011, she was charged with theft after being caught on video surveillance shoplifting $2,445 worth of merchandise from San Francisco’s Neiman Marcus store. Prosecutors said that Hayashi had taken the items into a dressing room, put them in a shopping bag, and walked out of the store. Her attorney stated that she intended to pay for the items but became distracted by a cellphone call and a snack at the cafe and inadvertently left the store without paying.

Prior to serving in the California State Legislature, Mary Hayashi served as the Alameda County Coordinator in the winning campaign to pass California Proposition 63 (2004), which provides increased funding for prevention and treatment services in county and statewide mental health programs. Mary Hayashi served as a Commissioner on the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, which was created to monitor the implementation of California Proposition 63 (2004). She is also a member of the Executive Committee for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public-private partnership that helps guide the implementation of the goals and objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

Mary Chung Hayashi (born Mary Chung, August 13, 1967) is a healthcare advocate and California Democratic politician, who represented 18th Assembly District in the California State Legislature. Mary Hayashi was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2006 and served 6 years until she was termed out in 2012. Mary served as a member of the leadership team for Assembly Speaker John Pérez, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, serving as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection. Previously, Mary Hayashi served as a member of the California Board of Registered Nursing and Commissioner on the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, which was created to monitor the implementation of California Proposition 63 (2004). Mary Hayashi ran unsuccessfully for California State Senate in 2014 finishing third place in the race.