Thomas Aujero Small was elected to the Culver City Council in 2016, and in 2018, was chosen by his

fellow Council Members to serve as Mayor during one of the most important periods in Culver City's

history. He has spent more than two decades serving Culver City because he believes local government

has the power to improve people's everyday lives.

His path to public service began through the arts. A lifelong student of music, architecture, and cities,

Thomas's work as a writer and researcher exploring the relationship between culture and

the builtenvironment led to his appointment to the Culver City Cultural Affairs Commission. He also

volunteeredwith the Culver City Unified School District, teaching Spanish to elementary students

at Linwood E. Howe.

As a Cultural Affairs Commissioner, Thomas worked to strengthen Culver City's commitment to the arts

and culture, including partnering with Poet Laureate Janet Hoult to establish the Culver City Artist

Laureate Program, creating a lasting way to recognize the artists who enrich our community.

During his time on the Commission, Thomas developed a deeper appreciation for how local government shapes the future of a city. Then as a Council Member, he went on to chair the City's General Plan Update Committee, leading a community-wide conversation about responsible growth, neighborhood preservation, and the kind of city Culver City should become.

As Mayor, Thomas helped guide the city through a period of significant change while working to preserve the qualities that make Culver City such a special place to live. He focused on improving mobility, strengthening neighborhoods, modernizing infrastructure, supporting local businesses, and building partnerships that brought new resources to the city. Throughout his public service, he has believed that thoughtful planning and practical leadership can help every neighborhood thrive.

Thomas has also represented Culver City throughout Los Angeles County and California. He has served with the Southern California Association of Governments, the Westside Council of Governments, the California League of Cities, and other regional organizations helping Culver City compete for grants, build partnerships, and ensure the city's voice is heard on issues ranging from transportation to sustainability.

After completing his service as Mayor and City Councilmember, Small founded Culver City Forward, a public-private initiative that brought together residents, community organizations, and the city's leading media and technology companies to shape Culver City's future. Although the effort was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it reinforced his belief that strong partnerships between government, business, and the community can improve quality of life for everyone.

During this period, he was selected to participate in the inaugural Vienna Field Study on Affordable Housing alongside a delegation of California senators, assemblymembers, and mayors—an initiative that has since become an ongoing international exchange.
He continued his civic leadership by helping curate the Los Angeles Verde Exchange Conference, designing programs on urban mobility, international crisis response, and community resilience. His work included collaborations with the RAND Corporation to engage residents in recovery, planning and preparedness following the Los Angeles wildfires.

He currently serves on the LA Metro Sustainability Council, and on the advisory boards of the Urban Land Institute-LA and the Thomas Mann House, an international forum for democracy and transatlantic dialogue.

Thomas believes the best cities never stop learning. Throughout his career, he has studied successful communities across Europe and around the world, exploring how they approach housing, transportation, sustainability, accessibility, and neighborhood planning. Those experiences continue to inform his work, always guided by a simple question: How can Culver City become an even better place to live?

Fluent in four languages, Thomas holds degrees and fellowships from Yale University, Columbia University, and the University of Paris. His lifelong passion for music, architecture, history, and civic life shapes both his public service and his scholarship. His forthcoming book, Music and Architecture in Harmony, will be published this fall.

Small and his wife, Joanna Brody, have called Culver City home for decades, where they raised their two children—and a succession of beloved dogs. Like so many families, they have celebrated the city's successes, weathered its challenges, and built lasting friendships in its neighborhoods.

Today, Thomas is running for City Council because he believes Culver City's best days are still ahead. He believes our city can be a place where families can thrive, seniors can age in place, businesses can succeed, housing is within reach, neighborhoods remain strong, and government earns the public's trust by listening, communicating openly, and delivering results.

His vision is simple:

Results That Matter.

Results that strengthen every neighborhood.

Results that serve every generation.

Results that improve life for every resident.