Council District 2

Dr. Carla J. Thornton

Meet Dr. Carla J. Thornton

Dr. Carla J. Thornton represents District 2 as a member of the Moreno Valley City Council. She was elected to her first four-year term in December 2018, and is the first African-American woman to serve on the Council. Her policy priorities are homelessness; roads and infrastructure; City beautification; business development; and veterans affairs.  In 2019 she created the City’s “Hire a MoVal Veteran” program.

She is an academic by profession and serves as an Assistant Professor at California Baptist University, where she specializes in teaching social work management and policy.

Councilwoman Thornton was born in Culver City and graduated from the University of Maryland University College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in Management at the University of Redlands, and a Master of Social Work degree and a Doctorate of Social Work at the University of Southern California.  Her doctoral research focused on women veterans and the economic-development challenges affecting the Inland Empire.

Dr. Thornton understands women veterans, having proudly served her country as a member of the United States Air Force for 20 years. She deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and retired at the rank of Master Sergeant.

As a Moreno Valley Councilwoman, she serves as a member of the Southern California Edison Advisory Panel; the League of California Cities Housing, Community & Economic Development Committee; Co-Chair of the Department of Veteran Affairs Inland Empire Community Veterans Engagement Board; and as an alternate member for Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt on the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority.

Prior to being elected to the City Council, Dr. Thornton was already an active member of her community chairing both the Moreno Valley Traffic Safety Commission and the City’s Environmental and Historical Preservation Board.

When she’s not busy educating the leaders of the future or giving back to her community, Councilwoman Thornton enjoys spending time with her daughter, traveling and reading a good book.