Executive Committee
Adrian F Malagon is also currently an At Large Member on the Libertarian National Committee, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Contra Costa County, and Chair of the California Libertarian Party Mises Caucus. Malagon became a member of the Libertarian Party of California on January 1, 2021, and a Lifetime Member on February 19, 2023, after being elected as the first Hispanic Chair of the Libertarian Party of California at the 2023 Annual Convention. A lifelong “small-l” libertarian turned Anarchist, he held no political affiliation before then. He became a member of the national Libertarian Party on August 1, 2021, and a Lifetime Member on June 1, 2022. He wishes to aid the advancement of liberty in California through human action, minority outreach, professionalism, single-issue coalition building, and strong, unapologetic messaging.
Malagon is a native Spanish speaker, and lifelong Californian. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from St. Mary’s College of California where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. Malagon is from the Bay Area of California, where he works remotely as a field recruiter for an international sales and marketing firm. His professional acumen includes recruitment, sales, and business development.
Chris Edgar is an entertainment and commercial litigation attorney, and musician, based in Los Angeles, California. Chris’s law practice has an extensive constitutional law component, including many cases in which he has protected the right of users of business and employer review sites to speak anonymously under the First Amendment. Chris’s articles on constitutional limits on state power have been published in the Stanford Law Review and the NYU Journal of Law & Liberty.
Alvstad became a member of the Libertarian Party of California on January 10, 1997 (although he was not active in the Party after the 2000 Election). Alvstad returned to active membership in 2019, and became a Lifetime Member of the National Libertarian Party at the 2022 Libertarian National Convention. Alvstad holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from The University of California, Berkeley where he graduated with highest honors. Alvstad lives in Orange County, and works as an ASIC Designer for SpaceX.”
Trendalyn “Tren” Hallesy is a former Republican who became disillusioned after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election for President. She has been influenced by the libertarian ideas expressed by Dr. Ron Paul, Caryn Ann Harlos, and Karlyn Borysanko. She is passionate about freedom, small government, and personal responsibility.
Elizabeth “Betz” Stump is currently Chair of the Libertarian Party of Alameda County, having previously served one term as Vice Chair, and two terms as At Large for the county. Betz is also on the LPCA Communications and Marketing Committee, where she helps craft press releases, and contributes to the Party newsletter, The Beacon. Additionaly, she is on the Social Media Committee, and served on the 2021 Platform Committee. Betz was the “Authorized Person” in Alameda County for the successful 2020-2021 Recall Newsom effort, headed by Orrin Heatlie.
Betz grew up in the family business, doing catering (mostly studio catering) feeding TV show cast & crews anywhere from 35 to 2,000 people for events such as: The Grammys, The American Music Awards, The Easter Seals Telethon, as well as wholesale food manufacturing for Trader Joe’s. Betz earned a Bachelors in Communications from Cal State Northridge, and worked for five years doing high tech Public Relations on both the agency, and corporate side. Betz has been volunteering with Libertarian Party of Alameda County since 2012, and with the Libertarian Party of California since 2019.
Matthew Ryan Butts serves as the Central Area Coordinator for the Libertarian Party of California and works as paid Membership staff for the Libertarian Party Committee. Matthew is passionate about ending the drug war, promoting Austrian Economics, growing membership and supporting local county organizations.
A Bay Area native that settled down in Oceanside, Garrison is Chair of the San Diego County Libertarian Party and serves on the LPC Communications and Program Committees. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in History from San Francisco State University and holds an MA in Political Science from the same institution. Garrison is a former fellow at the World Affairs Council of Seattle and a veteran of the United States Army. His policy interests are in Foreign Policy and Civil Rights.
Alberto Alvarez turned to Libertarianism during his enlistment in the Marine Corps after witnessing the Department of Defense overspending on military contractors. He moved back to Orange County to attend law school at Chapman University and now works at an accounting firm advising individuals and business entities on tax issues. He is a member of the Young Tax Lawyers Division and advocates for taxpayer rights and simplification of both the federal and CA tax codes.
Prompted by the cultural and political response to COVID, Graham began getting involved with the Libertarian Party in the Bay Area in 2021. Currently the Treasurer for the Libertarian Party of Alameda County, he previously worked as Treasurer for Michael Lema’s Hayward City Council Campaign, and served on the LPCA Bylaws and Historical Preservation committees.
A lifelong Californian Graham has grown-up, lived, and worked across the varied geographic and cultural landscape California offers. He graduated from Sacramento State in 2014 with a B.A. in Philosophy and a B.S. in Geology. He has worked in both the private and public sectors. Growing and learning in this diverse set of circumstances Graham has come to understand that the best solutions for California are not something the existing establishment is capable of providing. Graham knows that the Libertarian Party is the best political vehicle to affect positive change for California and advance liberty.
Victoria Lapacek is a California, Bay Area native. With a background in entertainment and communications, she aims to promote and spread liberty, starting at the grass roots. She spends her time and talents serving the bay area community through local volunteerism. Victoria’s goals are to help others understand that the ideal society is a free society and with freedom comes responsibility and hard work.
Michael Lema is a Journeyman Electrician, and is studying to become an Electrical Engineer, He turned to the Libertarian Party during his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps after seeing how poorly the government ran things. He moved back to California after his enlistment was over and joined the Libertarian Party of Alameda County, where he now serves as Secretary. Michael hopes to grow the LP and to show the residents of California, that the Libertarian Party isn’t just the “third option” but the ONLY option, in true Liberty.
Chris is a California native and joined the Libertarian Party in 2012. In 2020, he served as California State Coordinator for the Jorgensen Cohen campaign and had the privilege of traveling the state to meet the local activists that keep our state party running. In the past two years, Chris has volunteered for numerous campaigns across the country, ranging from City Council to President. Chris is passionate about getting Libertarians elected to office and spreading a positive message of liberty.
Professionally, Chris has spent the past 12+ years in the travel and hospitality industries, so he is acutely aware of the economic damage inflicted by the government response to COVID. Having served on several travel industry boards, he helped lobby in Sacramento and his district against Assembly Bill 5. Outside of work and politics, Chris enjoys going to concerts, hiking, and playing ice hockey.
Craig Strachan is currently Chair of the Libertarian Party of Ventura County. Born and raised in Scotland, he first registered to vote as a Libertarian when he naturalized as a US citizen in 2001. He is now a lifetime member of both the state and national parties. He is a businessman in the field of real estate investment and development. He holds degrees from the University of Glasgow and Boston University.
Maximiliano Jimenez Cuevas is a first generation immigrant. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he spent a decade as a Hospital Corpsman. Maximiliano is enthusiastic about ending the drug war, all proxy wars, promoting Austrian Economics, growing membership within the Latino community, and supporting local county organizations.
David Gorshe is a California native currently residing in the Central Valley of California. David graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Systems Management and a minor in Agricultural Business. He is passionate about restoring Second Amendment rights in California, advocating against onerous taxes and regulations, and LGBTQ community outreach.
Meredith Hays
Region Four Representative, Libertarian National Committee
Meredith Hays became a libertarian while studying political science at the University of California, Irvine. While focusing her studies on the Middle East and South Asia, with a particular focus in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, she became particularly passionate about the anti-war message. After earning her B.A. in Political Science in 2010, Hays attended the Santa Clara University School of Law, where she graduated and passed the California Bar Exam in 2013. She is currently a practicing attorney in the Bay Area.
Adrian F Malagon is also currently Chair of the Libertarian Party of California. Additionally, he serves on the Executive Committee and Convention Oversight Committee on the Libertarian National Committee.
Gary Alvstad is also currently Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of California. Additionally, he serves as the Libertarian National Committee Platform Committee Representative for California.