LOS ANGELES (Diya TV) — Dr. Sion Roy, a cardiologist and vice chair of the Santa Monica College Board, is running for California’s State Senate District 24, which covers West Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The incumbent is Senator Ben Allen, who will be termed out in 2026.
In a statement, Roy, 44, underscored his dedication to enhancing access to healthcare, increasing educational opportunities, and supporting recovery efforts after the Palisades fire, which burned down his own family home. He vowed to “cut the red tape” in Sacramento and bring resources to help local rebuilding efforts, saying, “I’m living this challenge alongside you.
Roy is an associate professor at Torrance’s Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he guides students and cares for under-resourced populations. As the youngest person ever to be elected president of the Los Angeles County Medical Association, he counseled elected leaders on best practices for weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and structuring policies around equity and accessibility.
Serving on the Santa Monica College Board since 2018 and re-elected in 2022, Roy is now vice chair. He has advocated workforce initiatives like the Certified Nursing Assistant & Home Health Aide Certificate programs and spearheaded the opening of Santa Monica College’s new Malibu campus. An old-time supporter of K-12 education, he was PTA president for Malibu’s Webster Elementary, championed community-building activities, and spearheaded Measure MM to better the local schools.
Roy received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his M.D. from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, after serving for a year in AmeriCorps. He lives in Malibu with his wife, Dr. Kathleen Ruchalski, a radiologist at UCLA, and their son, Kiran.
