STAFF

As Executive Director of the California Airports Council, Mr. Lites brings over 20 years of governmental relations and association management experience. He has a strong reputation in the Sacramento legislative community for policy expertise, professionalism, integrity, and successful outcomes. Mr. Lites served nine years in the State Legislature working primarily in the areas of tax policy, economic development, higher education, and international trade. As a legislative advocate and association management professional, Mr. Lites is active in various policy arenas including infrastructure financing and development, local government, goods movement, telecommunications, public pension systems, rail transportation, homeland security, and mortgage insurance.

Lauren Wesche has spent the past 12 years as a communications and public relations professional in Sacramento, CA. She brings vast experience from various roles, from association management, coalition building, and grassroots advocacy, to agency-side marketing, working for brands and initiatives like Planned Parenthood and Covered California. Most recently, Ms. Wesche worked for six years in communications and advocacy at the California Hospital Association. Lauren provided strategy and advocacy-issue support for California’s 430+ hospitals and health systems, including member engagement, public perception, and policy positioning. Ms. Wesche started her career in public policy with Ogilvy Public Relations, supporting several state initiatives and providing crisis communications during and after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. She attended California State University, Sacramento where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

Ms. Lina Bernal has more than 10 years of association management and advocacy experience. Ms. Bernal’s primary responsibilities include the management of all the organizational duties and procedures for the California Airports Council, including meeting planning and all associated logistics, state regulatory reporting, and compliance requirements. Ms. Bernal also oversees all of the legislative monitoring functions, including the review of committee hearings and agendas and legislative bill monitoring. Ms. Bernal began her career in marketing, working for Legi-Tech, a subscription electronic legislative tracking service, and Retail Technology Inc., a retail software developer, and also served as an Account Administrator for California Advocates Management Services. She is a native Californian and graduated from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.