We know that these are some of the words used to describe Long Beach native, Gerrie Schipske...

Gerrie Schipske believes that public service is a privilege and a duty. That's why she has spent most of her adult life working to improve the quality of life for our community. She's a nurse practitioner, attorney, author, former university teacher and mother of three.

Local Roots. Local Values.

Gerrie Schipske's maternal grandparents came to Long Beach in the late 1940's. Her parents met at the Pike and married at St. Lucy's Church. They held their wedding reception in Silverado Park. She was born in 1950 at the Long Beach Naval Hospital. With her partner of 30 years,  Flo Pickett, she raised three wonderful children who attended Long Beach public schools, Long Beach City College and CSULB.

Gerrie Schipske is the founder of the Community Baby Shower, the Long Beach Police Department's Women's Advisory Committee, The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation, Long Beach Cares, and  RxforLongBeach.com. 

She is the author of two books on the history of Long Beach: "Rosie the Riveter in Long Beach" and "Early Aviation in Long Beach" which are both published by Arcadia Publishing, Inc.

Gerrie has a distinguished career of public service at the city, state and congressional levels.

Before her election to City Council in 2006, she served for over15 years on Long Beach City committees, commissions and boards -- including the Board of Health and Human Services, the Joint Powers Authority for the CSU Headquarters, and the Queensway Bay Committee that guided the development of the Aquarium of the Pacific.

After being selected as a White House Fellow National Finalist, President Bill Clinton appointed her to the Attorney General Janet Reno's Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women in 1998.

Gerrie was appointed by the California Senate Rules Committee in 2007 to the California Medical Board where she serves as the first registered nurse to sit on the Board which licenses and disciplines California's 117,000 physicians.

In 1992, she was elected to the Long Beach City College Board of Trustees.

She won the nomination of her political party three times for state or federal offices. 

Quality Credentials

Gerrie's credentials include:

• Associate degrees in Liberal Arts and in Nursing Science (Fullerton and Goldenwest Community Colleges)
• Bachelor of Arts degree in History (University of California, Irvine)
• Master of Arts degree in Legislative Affairs (George Washington University)
• Juris Doctor degree (Pacific Coast University School of Law)
• Licensed Registered Nurse Practitioner
• Licensed Attorney
• Admitted the United States Supreme Court Bar

From her earliest days, Gerrie Schipske has been a strong advocate for law and order....

 Gerrie's parents, Norman and Eve Schipske.
Gerrie with her sister and brother at Christmas time.