As a high school teacher and mayor of Palo Alto, California, Greer Stone ’10 seamlessly transitions from the classroom to political events such as visiting the White House, meeting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and hosting the Swedish Crown Princess. Stone’s career journey to politics, law and teaching all began at the UCI School of Social Sciences.
“UCI is where I was first inspired to pursue a career in public service,” says Stone. “Observing the work the university does to bring positive change not only to Irvine but Orange County as a whole, impressed me during my formative years and energizes me now as mayor.”
Palo Alto, a city of 66,000 nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, has been Stone’s de facto home for most of his life, although he could not always afford to live in the famously expensive community. As a child, he made an hour-long commute from rural Boulder Creek to attend Palo Alto public schools, where his mom was a teacher while his dad worked for the sheriff’s department at Stanford University.
By Stone’s own admission, he was not an outstanding student, only overcoming academic struggles with the help of caring teachers. He enrolled at a small private university in the Bay Area for one year, but transferred to UCI as a sophom*ore after visiting a friend and feeling perfectly at home.
“I absolutely loved the UCI campus and that feeling of being at a large university with all of the opportunities that it comes with, while still seeing the smaller communities that exist within that larger ecosystem,” Stone says. “That was the college experience I was searching for.”
Stone made lifelong friends at UCI, and regularly returns to campus for Homecoming and to catch up with friends in Orange County. But the academic impact of UCI was just as significant as the social one.
Says Stone: “UC Irvine completely changed my trajectory.”
Changing direction
As an undergraduate, Stone planned a career in law enforcement, but he found himself drawn to the buzz around the 2008 presidential election – the first one in which he would be eligible to vote. He enrolled in a course taught by political science professor Martin Wattenberg, and from then on, he was hooked. He soon transferred to the School of Social Sciences and declared political science his major. Today, Stone uses one of Wattenberg’s textbooks to teach his AP government class.
Similarly, Stone took a pre-law class and fell in love with law, leading him to take several more legal classes and to join UCI’s Mock Trial team. Throughout his time at UCI, Stone says he was inspired not only in the classroom, but also by the work his professors did hosting dialogues about difficult topics, and participating in philanthropic work in the community.
At UCI, Stone also got his first taste of what it’s like to be at the table where decisions are made. He became the first student representative on UCI’s Task Force on Alcohol and Other Drugs, after he grew concerned about a friend on another campus that lacked support for students facing addiction problems. By the time Stone graduated, the task force had multiple student representatives from different organizations around campus.
“That experience showed me the power of just being inquisitive and reaching out and asking to help,” says Stone. “Then, of course, seeing the influence of my voice at the table turned out to be informative in the path I forged when I left UCI. The passion UCI created, not just around political science but also giving back to the community, was a catalyst to my own pathway.”
Taking a loss
After graduating from UCI and taking a gap year, Stone attended Santa Clara University School of Law. While a student, he was appointed to the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission which focused on social issues including youth mental health, teen suicide, senior well-being and homelessness. At the age of 23, he was then the youngest commissioner in the group’s history.
As an attorney, Stone worked in criminal and family law for several years. But, aside from the intellectual rigor of the legal profession, he did not enjoy the work. So, following in the footsteps of his mother and his wife, he earned his teaching credential and started teaching in the Sequoia Union High School District, where he proudly displays a UCI pennant on his classroom wall, and encourages students to apply to become Anteaters.
“Both of my parents being public servants gave me a grounding from a young age, showing me that money doesn’t buy happiness. There is so much more enjoyment in finding fulfillment and passion through the work that you do,” says Stone. “I always knew I wanted to give back in some way, and UCI from day one not only promoted those ideals but showed those ideals in action.”
In 2016, Stone mounted his first campaign for Palo Alto City Council. He lost the election, but he came out of the experience with new connections and new opportunities. A county supervisor invited Stone to join the Santa Clara County Human Rights Commission.
“The lesson for me was that even when you lose a campaign, you really win in so many other ways,” Stone says.
Becoming mayor
In 2020, Stone ran for city council again, and this time he won, bringing in the voice of a younger generation concerned about the cost of living in the city and other social issues. Earlier this year, his fellow council members elected him mayor. Between grappling with the serious business of the city, he enjoys heartwarming moments such as greeting third graders on a field trip to city hall, who react to meeting the mayor as if he is a celebrity. In January, he attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors where he visited the White House and worked with members of the administration. Then, in March, he welcomed the Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis and members of the Swedish royal family to Palo Alto for the Green Transition Summit.
“It’s an honor to be able to be mayor in the city I grew up in and loved – especially because there were many times when I was a kid when I felt I was not good enough compared to my peers,” says Stone. “So to get to this point where I serve that community is an incredible privilege.”
Stone encourages anyone interested in running for office to take the plunge. But first, he recommends getting involved as an intern for an elected official or a government office, or volunteering for local boards and commissions like he did. At the city and county level, interns are likely to have opportunities to draft policies and meet with constituents, and to see the direct impact of their work on the community. Whether you eventually win or lose an election, Stone says you’re likely to come out with new opportunities and connections that will expand your ability to make a positive difference in the community.
Yet Stone’s greatest advice to his students is to remain flexible in their mindset about their careers: “When students are thinking about the next step in their journey, I want them to know it’s not a final decision — career paths are so much more elastic than ever before in history,” Stone says. “Just jump in, try something. If it doesn’t work out, try something else. Embrace this time in your life to try new things and don’t be afraid to switch trains if you feel you chose the wrong path.”
-Christine Byrd for UCI Social Sciences
-pictured: Greer Stone giving a public talk. Stone with Crown Princess of Sweden. Stone meeting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Stone visits with fellow alumni on campus.
