Census Tract 4602 is the North central section of Altadena bordered by Lake Avenue on the east; the transmission lines which border the Angeles National Forest to the north; Fair Oaks Avenue on the west to Loma Alta Drive and along a line which follows Chiquita Canyon to the transmission lines; and Mariposa Street on the south.
Representatives
NIC ARNZEN is originally from Iowa and has lived in Southern California for 25 years. He came to Altadena with his husband in search of an alternative to more concentrated “city” living and found the village-like atmosphere perfect for raising their three children. Their kids chose three different high school experiences, Aveson, PHS, and Muir, giving Nic a wide view of the communities and neighbors that make up Altadena. In his years as an Altadena resident Nic has volunteered feeding the homeless, teaching Improv and acting, running an elementary school performing arts program, and alongside his husband, Dr. Ray Samoa, has established an ongoing CDC health initiative in the area called The Diabetes Prevention Program which is currently expanding to Eagle Rock, Orange County, and further into the San Gabriel Valley.
While there are many issues to tackle locally including, but not limited to, racial injustice, climate change, wildlife cohabitation, and crime, to name a few, Nic is first and foremost focused on making himself accessible to the community. He plans to implement better communication lines and tap into the passionate and motivated neighbors in his tract to promote change from the ground level.
Nic believes the greatest threat to any community is divisive exchange and behavior. He understands the other issues are certainly important and prioritized but sees that without effective communication there is little chance of moving forward as a community. He firmly believes we need to understand each other and keep our hearts and minds open even in the face of our biggest disagreements.
Professionally, Nic has been a Director of film and theater, Head Writer for numerous projects, SAG and AEA Actor, Property Manager, Office Manager for a studio accounting team, and is currently the Program Coordinator for the aforementioned CDC recognized Diabetes Prevention Program.
He embraces the challenge and opportunity in representing this wonderful community and truly looks forward to hearing from you.
Term Expires 2026
Email: nic.arnzen@altadenatowncouncil.org
Kim Yu
Kim Yu, daughter to two Vietnamese refugees fleeing communism, was born, and raised in LA County and grew up in the City of San Gabriel. Kim and her family and have been residents of Beautiful Altadena since 2018. She is a mother of two young boys who both currently attend the Pasadena Waldorf School in Altadena, and her husband serves the City of Pasadena as a Firefighter/Engineer.
Kim is currently the Fire Safety Specialist for Caltech and prior to that, spent over 16.5 yearswith the Pasadena Fire Department as a Hazardous Materials Specialist where she served as a first responder and Deputy Health Officer for all Haz Mat incidents, enforced laws and regulations to protect the public from fire, environmental and chemical hazards, and lead the Haz Mat team in the Counterterrorism Unit with the Pasadena Police Department. During this time, she was also appointed to the State Fire Marshal’s Special Effect Advisory Committee where she served for 3 years before leaving the fire service.
In her role with the Pasadena Fire Department, she has extensive experience working with both the LA County Fire Department, and the LA County Sheriffs Department and even worked for the LA County Department of Public Works for 2 years in their Environmental Programs Division. She graduated with a degree from UCLA in
Biochemistry and obtained a masters degree in public health from the USC Keck School of Medicine with an emphasis on global health leadership.
Kim has always had a desire to serve the public and to make her community a better place for all. With her years of experience in public safety and public service, along with her passion to help the community, she is eager to represent the needs of Altadena and do her part to foster a safe, inclusive, enriching and environmentally friendly community for our residents to thrive in.
Term Expires 2025
Phone number: 310-270-8466
Email: kim.yu@altadenatowncouncil.org
