Members

The current members of the Board are:

  • Eric Banks
  • Arthur A. Krantz
  • Lou Paulson
  • Adrin Nazarian

Eric Banks

Chair

Eric R. Banks was reappointed to the Board as Chairperson in January of 2022. In January of 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom designated Banks as Chairperson of the Board. Eric R. Banks was appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. in 2013 and reappointed in 2015 and 2017. Before his appointment, he was a partner at Ten Page Memo, LLC, providing organizational consulting services. From 2001 to 2013, he worked for Service Employees International Union, Local 221, representing public employees in San Diego and Imperial Counties. There, he was the first openly gay person to be elected President. He also served as Advisor to the President and Director of Government and Community Relations. Before moving to California, he was dedicated to advancing education, service delivery, and public policy for people living with HIV/AIDS. He served as Policy Associate for State Government Affairs at the New York AIDS Coalition in Albany, NY, from 2000 to 2001 and worked for the Southern Tier AIDS Program in Upstate New York from 1993 to 2000 as Case Manager, Assistant Director of Client Services, and Director of Client Services. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in 1993.

Mr. Banks’ term expires December 2026.


 

Arthur A. Krantz

Board Member

Arthur A. Krantz was first appointed to the Board by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2018, and Governor Gavin Newsom reappointed him in January 2021 for a five-year term. For more than 20 years prior to his service on the Board, Krantz represented unions, employees, and nonprofits in litigation, arbitration, and administrative cases, and he worked on law reform, organizing, negotiation, and strategic campaigns to effect social change. Krantz did this work as an associate and partner at Leonard Carder, LLP. Prior to that, Krantz spent one year clerking for the Honorable Ellen Bree Burns at the United States District Court, District of Connecticut.

Krantz serves as co-editor-in-chief of California Public Sector Labor Relations. He frequently contributes to other publications and presents at conferences. Krantz has served as a pro bono asylum attorney, a lecturer and practitioner-advisor at UC Berkeley School of Law, and an Executive Committee Member of the California Lawyers Association Labor & Employment Law Section. He received his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from NYU School of Law, where he was a Root Tilden Public Interest Scholar. During college, Krantz’s work in a dining hall led him to serve as a shop steward and contract negotiating team member for UNITE HERE Local 35.

Mr. Krantz’s term expires December 2025.


Lou Paulson

Board Member

Lou Paulson was first appointed to the Board by Governor Gavin Newsom on February 6, 2019 and was reappointed to a second term by Governor Newsom on January 12, 2024. Prior to his appointment Lou Paulson served as the President of the California Professional Firefighters and as Vice President of the California Labor Federation. He also had a 34 year career in the Fire Service, 26 of those with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

Paulson has participated on many Local and National Boards and Commissions including the UC Berkeley Labor Center Advisory Board and the National Fire Protection Board of Directors. Paulson has lectured and taught nationally and internationally on labor relations and leadership. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from San Francisco State University.

Mr. Paulson’s term expires December 2028.

Adrin Nazarian

Board Member

Adrin Nazarian was appointed to the Board by Governor Gavin Newsom on February 21, 2023. Prior to joining PERB, Nazarian served as a California State Assemblymember from 2012 to 2022. He was Chief of Staff for Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian from 2010 to 2012 and served as Chief of Staff for Assemblymember Paul Krekorian in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2010. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Mr. Nazarian’s term expires December 2027.