The Lafayette City Council has appointed longtime community volunteer Stella Wotherspoon to fill the seat left vacant by Councilmember Gina Dawson, who resigned earlier this year.
Wotherspoon was chosen from a pool of five applicants during a special council meeting held July 15. After interviewing all candidates, the council voted unanimously to appoint her. She will serve until the city’s next regularly scheduled municipal election in November 2026.
“I came to Lafayette in 2012 with my family, drawn by the schools, the natural beauty, the walkable downtown, and the civic-minded, engaged community,” Wotherspoon reportedly wrote in her application. “I place high value on service to my community and have been a lifelong volunteer.”
Wotherspoon has served on Lafayette’s Transportation and Circulation Commission since 2019, with a focus on transportation network effectiveness and road safety. She also sits on the General Plan Advisory Committee, where she has contributed to the city’s Housing and Safety Element updates since 2021.
Her community involvement extends beyond City Hall. She was co-chair of the Measure H Citizens’ Campaign Committee in 2024, served on the Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters board since 2022, was a Lafayette Partners in Education board member from 2023 to 2024, and served on the Acalanes High School School Advisory Council during the same period.
“It was a pleasure to interview the outstanding candidates for City Council, but it was clear that Stella Wotherspoon was the most qualified based on her grasp of the current issues facing the city, as well as her deep understanding of how our government works here in Lafayette,” Mayor Susan Candell said in a statement released by the city. “She is the only candidate that can hit the ground running, which is essential since there is no time for training as she is sworn in immediately upon this appointment. She will truly be a welcome addition on our Council.”
According to city officials, Wotherspoon holds a master’s degree in geography and geospatial information systems from San Jose State University. Her career has spanned roles as a higher education capital campaign officer, product manager in the tech industry, and geospatial data analyst in the public sector.