Staff
Lindsay Barsamian
Lindsay Barsamian is Chief of Staff to Councilman Andreas Borgeas, District 2. Lindsay oversees the daily operations of the district office and manages the staff. Her responsibilities include meeting with key stakeholders, community leaders and various organizations on behalf of Councilman Borgeas. Lindsay assists with city-related and key legislative issues. She also oversees the District 2 budget.
Lindsay previously held the position of Senior Account Executive for Passantino Andersen Communications which specializes in government relations, branding and marketing, media relations, coalition building and events management. Prior to that, she served in the Schwarzenegger Administration, as Field Representative, Deputy Director and Director of the Governor’s Central Valley Office. Lindsay was the youngest District Director during both of the Governor’s terms.
As Director, Lindsay counseled the Governor on issues confronting the Valley and helped establish his unprecedented focus on the region. Among her achievements, Lindsay garnered broad-based and bi-partisan support for the Governor’s policies while developing solid relationships with local, state and federal government officials, as well as widely diverse interest groups within the eleven county region. She played a leadership role in planning the 2009 “March for Water,” bringing national attention to the water shortage impacting Westside agricultural. A gifted crisis manager, Lindsay also represented the Governor’s Office in working with the Office of Emergency Services to assess the needs of frontline evacuation centers during the 2007 San Diego wildfires, as well as fires in Mariposa and Tehachapi.
Lindsay has been involved with several political campaigns, including Mike Villines for Assembly and Meg Whitman for Governor. She served several times as a Delegate to the California Republican Party upon appointments by former Assemblyman Mike Villines and former Congressman George Radanovich.
Lindsay was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Summer and Intersession Enrichment Legislative Task Force, which studies options to provide year-round wellness programs and safe, supervised places for low-income children during the summer months.
Lindsay also serves on the Board of Directors of Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals (FLYP) as the Social Chair and is a member of the California Women’s Leadership Association.
Lindsay was named the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Member of the Year. Recently, Lindsay was selected as one of the 40 Under 40 honorees for 2011.
Lindsay was raised in Fresno and attended Clovis schools. She holds a B.A. in Politics from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Contact: Lindsay.Barsamian@fresno.gov
Heather Elkins
Heather Elkins, originally from Washington D.C., is Council Assistant to Fresno City Councilman Andreas Borgeas, District 2. Heather’s responsibilities include managing constituent issues and connecting with the appropriate department heads to resolve matters. Heather facilitates meetings between district residents and Councilman Borgeas. Heather also attends meetings and represents the district at various events.
Heather previously served as Community Relations Specialist for Mayor Swearengin under the guidance of the Press Secretary and Community Relations Manager. She wrote press releases, created marketing material and generated updates used on the City of Fresno’s website. Heather worked with various media outlets and community professionals to develop outreach and social media strategies for multiple city campaigns.
Before moving to Fresno, Heather worked for Russell Public Communications in Tucson, Arizona. She was responsible for writing marketing materials which included website content, newsletters and press releases. She also assisted planning events, making presentations and providing brand development for clients.
Heather received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Sociology from the University of Arizona.
Contact: Heather.Elkins@fresno.gov
My Staff is always available to you at 559.621.8000 or district2@fresno.gov