By Khalida Sarwari
One week into her mayorship, Emily Lo had already learned an important lesson: carry an extra jacket in the car for those days when back-to-back meetings leave no time for a quick pit stop at home. It was December and the holidays were right around the corner, but the new Saratoga mayor was eager to get to work.
“[There’s] more time commitment, more meetings and events to attend, and being the driving force,” the city’s former vice mayor said about her new role. “I have to be more proactive.
“A lot of people tell me time flies, so I’m making the best use of every day.”
On Dec. 4, Lo became only the second Asian woman to be appointed mayor in the city’s history. This is a fact that excites Lo. Her experience and upbringing, she said, give her a unique edge.
“It’s something I’m very comfortable with, interacting with people of different nationalities,” she said.
The 57-year-old Lo was born and raised in Hong Kong when it was still under British rule and a melting pot of Eastern and Western cultures. It was there that she was first exposed to diversity, she said. She attended an American missionary school founded by the Maryknoll Sisters, and later met and married her husband, Patrick. In 1989, the couple moved to the Bay Area, but left again after a short stay when Patrick, who is the founder of Netgear, a computer networking equipment manufacturing company, took a job in Japan. They returned to California in 1995, settling in Saratoga with their children, Daphne and Kai.
“I immediately thought, people are friendly,” Lo remembered. “They’re friendly and welcoming, and I’d like to keep that. The way to do that is to have everyone be a part of the community and to respect each other’s culture.”
Celebrating the diversity that attracted her to Saratoga decades ago is one of the objectives on Lo’s agenda for 2014. For years, the city and various community organizations have put on events such as the Bollywood Dance and St. Paddy’s Day event. There’s yet another one in store on Feb. 9: a Chinese New Year celebration hosted by the city. Lo said she plans to utilize social media and partner with community organizations to encourage more people from different cultural backgrounds to attend these events.
“I will continue to embrace diversity,” Lo said. “I hope that through all these events we’re able to bring the community together.”
Prior to her involvement in civic life, Lo was an active member of the school community, starting with a two-year stint as principal of a Chinese language school in Cupertino and later serving a two-year role as president of the parent-teacher association at Saratoga High School. In 2000, Lo joined the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce and, in 2009, became president at a time when “the Chamber was in a pretty challenging stage,” she said.
“We had to let go the executive director, so my duty was to consult the board and also act like acting executive director at the same time,” she said. She served in that role for one year.
Lo ran for city council for the first time in 2008, but was unsuccessful. She ran again in 2010 and won. She credited her friends and family for encouraging her to go into public service, despite her initial bashfulness about asking for endorsements. Now that she’s become comfortable in the role, she plans to run for re-election after her term ends in 2014.
But first, she’s got a list of things she wants to focus on next year. Topping that list are capital improvement projects Lo wants to see moved to the next phase, such as the Prospect Road median, the Quito Bridge and Quarry Park projects and the streetscape improvements in downtown Saratoga. One of the additions that will be made as part of the latter project is the installment of directory signs on Big Basin Way.
“I think these projects help to improve public safety and increase business vitality,” she said. “It will improve the overall shopping experience of downtown.”
Another area of focus for the council, Lo said, will be updating two major pieces in the city’s General Plan: the noise element and housing element.
A few milestones are ahead in 2014: Saratoga will mark the 30th anniversary of the sister-city partnership with Muko, Japan, and the centennials of the Saratoga Foothill Club and Santa Clara County Library District. Lo called 2014 “really a very important year.”
The year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, an ideal opportunity, Lo said, to create public awareness about emergency preparedness and response. “We will continue to put our resources on public safety,” she added.
When she’s not immersed in her mayoral duties, Lo operates a promotional product service.
“I love to shop, I love to eat, I love to travel,” she said, noting tai chi, kung fu and aerobics were her preferred forms of exercise.
Her eldest, Daphne, 29, is in her final year of medical residency in Denver, Colo., and son Kai, 25, works in the marketing department at the American Express headquarters in New York City. The family planned to spend the holidays in Hong Kong.
