Dr. Raphael Sonenshein, a political science professor at California State University, Fullerton and a noted authority on Los Angeles governance, has been selected by the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation to serve as the next Haynes Fellow. He will begin his 18-month tenure on July 1.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Sonenshein as our new Haynes Fellow, and we're looking forward to his leadership in further strengthening the Foundation's ties to social science researchers and policymakers throughout Southern California," said Foundation President Donn B. Miller.

Sonenshein has been a political science professor at Cal State Fullerton since 1982, and he has written extensively on the politics and governance of Los Angeles for various publications. His book, Politics in Black and White: Race and Power in Los Angeles, received the 1994 Ralph J. Bunche Award from the American Political Science Association. Research for the book was funded by a Haynes Foundation grant.

Outside of academia, Sonenshein recently directed two successful Charter reform movements, serving as Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles (Appointed) Charter Reform Commission, whose work led to the first successful comprehensive reform of the City Charter in 75 years, and as the lead consultant to Pasadena's Charter Reform Task Force on School District Governance.

During the 1970s, Sonenshein worked for Mayor Tom Bradley, Los Angeles City Councilman David Cunningham and on Maxine Waters' first successful run for State Assembly.

"I'm honored to be selected as the second Haynes Fellow, following in the steps of Dr. George Sanchez," said Sonenshein. "As more and more people turn to the study of Los Angeles, the Foundation's role in funding research on public policy issues for the region is going to grow. I am particularly excited about the Foundation's initiative to encourage more research on urban governance and service delivery issues, and I hope to help it become a cornerstone of the Foundation's work."

Sonenshein received his B.A. in public policy from Princeton University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Yale University. Currently, he is writing a book (with funding from the Haynes Foundation) on Los Angeles Charter reform and urban democracy.

His tenure as Haynes Fellow will overlap for six months with that of Sanchez, a USC associate professor of history and a renowned ethnicity scholar.

Now celebrating its 75th year, the Haynes Foundation (www.haynesfoundation.org) is the oldest private foundation in the city and among the oldest in the state.