Ding Ding TV Report – Margaret Abe Koga Swearing-In Ceremony
Margaret was born at Stanford Hospital and raised in San Mateo by immigrant parents from Japan. As her parents were limited in English, Margaret became their translator as soon as she learned English. It was through this experience where she saw struggle, discrimination, and injustice when one does not have a voice society, and it compelled her to pursue a path where she could serve the community and work to ensure that all people regardless of background have a voice in our communities. She attended public schools K-12 and went on to Harvard University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in government in 1992. After graduation, Margaret joined Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s district office staff.
She began her elected service as Trustee for Area 1 on Santa Clara County Board of Education and served as Board Vice-President in 2004. She was then elected to the Mountain View City Council in 2006. She served as Vice-Mayor in 2008 and 2019, and as Mayor for the first time in 2009, making her the first Asian American female to serve in those capacities in Mountain View’s history. She served a second term as Mayor in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was re-elected in 2020 and served a total of four terms.
On the City Council, Margaret championed the issues of public safety, transportation, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, youth and families and health and wellness.
In addition to elected and appointed service, Margaret has been active in the community. She has served on the boards of CHAC – Community Health Awareness Council, Charities Housing – a non-profit affordable housing developer, the League of Conservation Voters, Carbon Free Mountain View, the Housing Trust of Silicon Valley, Avenidas Senior Services, the Mountain View Sister Cities Association, the Silicon Valley Japanese American Chamber of Commerce, the Japanese American Citizens League San Mateo Chapter, Vice-Chair of the Old Mountain View Neighborhood Association and President of the San Jose Taiko Board.
Margaret’s work experience outside of public service includes serving as Associate Director of the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI) at De Anza College from 1999-2001 and 2005-2006. Margaret also owned and ran a small business– an indoor cycling fitness facility – before taking leave from the business to raise her children. From 2012-2014, She held the position of Foundation and Corporate Relations Manager for Asian Americans for Community Involvement, the largest non-profit health and human services agency focused on the Asian community. In 2015, she was District Director for California State Assemblymember Evan Low of the 28th District, and from 2016-2017 worked for Synopsys Corporation as a government affairs manager.