District 4 Councilmember Janani Ramachandran

Janani Ramachandran is the City Councilmember for Oakland’s District 4 which includes the neighborhoods of Laurel, Dimond, Allendale, Glenview, Montclair, Redwood Heights, and North Hills.  She is the youngest person elected to Oakland’s City Council, as well as the first South Asian and first LGBTQ woman of color to serve on Oakland City Council.

Councilmember Ramachandran is committed to re-building public trust in City Hall by improving access to basic constituent services. She is focused on building a safe, vibrant Oakland where every resident can thrive and prosper.

Councilmember Ramachandran is a public interest attorney who has dedicated her life to empowering communities and fighting for responsive government institutions. A graduate of Stanford University and Berkeley Law, Ramachandran has worked at various legal nonprofits, and served on the board of violence prevention nonprofits across Oakland. She is a Commissioner on the California Commission for API American Affairs, and previously served on the City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission.

Ramachandran is also a longtime vocalist. She has a background in classical Indian music and musical theater, and currently performs R&B music in a duo “Wish U Were Us.” She aspires to use her voice through both music and political advocacy to shine a bright light on the Bay Area’s incredible art culture and history, and uplift our powerful stories of resilience.

Follow along Councilmember Ramachandran’s journey at @Janani4Oakland on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Councilmember Ramachandran sits on the following council committees: 

Finance and Management Committee – meets Tuesdays at 9:30am 

Life Enrichment Committee – meets Tuesdays at 4:00pm 

Public Safety Committee – meets Tuesdays at 6:00pm 

Rules and Legislation Committee – meets Thursdays at 10:30am 

Councilmember Ramachandran’s Priority Areas: 

• Public Safety 
• Traffic Safety 
• Wildfire Prevention

Councilmember Ramachandran is honored to represent Oakland’s District 4. She looks forward to building a safe, vibrant Oakland, and accountable City Hall.

District 4 Staff and Contact Info:  

General office line: 510-238-7004 

Iris Merriouns, Chief of Staff 

Email: ilmerriouns@oaklandca.gov; Phone: 510-238-7042 

Neighborhoods: Laurel, Redwood Heights, Allendale, Crestmont, Montclair 

Rebecca Dean, Legislative & Community Coordinator

Email: rdean@oaklandca.gov; Phone: 510-238-4742 

Neighborhoods: Dimond, Oakmore, Glenview, Piedmont Pines, North Hills 

Daghe Esoimeme, Communications Director 

Email: eesoimeme@oaklandca.gov

We encourage your participation in Council and Committee meetings. See our quick 1-pager guide on how to make public comment here. You can view the Council meeting schedule online. Make your voice heard by participating in person at City Hall or via Zoom.

To put in a 311 request for road or public works maintenance issues, click here. 

To join your neighborhood crime prevention council, or get information about Neighborhood Services, click here.

To call MACRO in the case of non-violent, non-emergency situation: dial 510-446-2276. 

See a map of District 4 here.