Lisa Middleton

Lisa Middleton (born 1952) is an American politician who served as the Mayor of Palm Springs from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Middleton served on the Palm Springs City Council from 2017 to 2024, and is the first openly transgender person elected in California for a non-judicial position.

After serving as Mayor Pro Tempore of Palm Springs from 2020 to 2021, Middleton succeeded Christy Holstege as the city's mayor on December 9, 2021, and became the first openly transgender mayor in California.

Early life and education

Middleton was born and raised in East Los Angeles. She attended UCLA, graduating in 1974 with a bachelor's degree in political science. and as an alternate to the Metrolink Board of Directors. She was appointed in April 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Administration. She was a member of the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) Board of Directors and the President (September 2021 – 2022) of the Cal Cities Riverside County Division.

In 2024, Middleton ran an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the California State Senate. She was term-limited from continuing to serve on the Palm Springs City Council, and thus had to resign from CalPERS in February 2025. In September 2025, Newsom reappointed Middleton to CalPERS as a representative of the insurance industry.

Personal life After 13 years together, Lisa and her wife Cheryl, a retired nurse, were married in July 2013. They have two children, a son and a daughter. Middleton is transgender and transitioned in the mid-1990s.