Mayor Julia Mates

Mayor Julia Mates became Belmont’s first directly elected mayor in 2022. She has served our community on the City Council since 2018 and is the first Chinese American Jewish Mayor in the U.S..

During her time in city government and as Mayor, Julia has overseen the creation, development, and groundbreaking of several major projects and initiatives, including new housing, millions of dollars in roadway improvements and infrastructure repairs, and, most recently, guiding the city through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A native of San Francisco, Julia has lived on the Peninsula for over 25 years. She moved to Belmont in 2006 to raise her family because of all of the qualities that make it special: local hills and trails, great schools, safe neighborhoods, and, most importantly, the city’s greatest asset — its people.

As a civic leader, Julia brings her perspective as a biracial person, in tune with both her Chinese and Jewish heritages. Recognizing that diversity and inclusion are important and that balance and harmony are integral to progress and creating meaningful impact. Julia explains:

“Both my parents are Jewish. My mother’s family was originally from China and resided in San Francisco for over four generations. My father’s side of the family is Ashkenazi Jewish. My grandparents immigrated to the US from Austria to escape Nazi persecution. My parents met at UC Berkeley in the 1960s. When they married there weren’t many “mixed race” couples, but now-especially in California, bi-racial and multi-racial families are much more common. This is true in Belmont, where there are an increased number of Asian families as well as families with blended backgrounds like mine.”

Julia understands firsthand the rewards and challenges of living, doing business, and raising a family in Belmont. As Mayor and City Councilmember, she continues to bring passion, hard work, sound judgement, and experience to this special city.

Prior to serving on the council, Julia served the community as a school volunteer, local scout leader, and Chair of the Planning Commission, where she was instrumental in developing and approving several projects that are already transforming Belmont’s downtown. In her professional career, Julia combined her interest in history with her desire to work with the public and received her Master of Arts in History/Public History. 

Every day, Julia applies her passion and love for Belmont to her job as Mayor, offering strong leadership and guidance during a time of legislative and economic difficulty. Julia engages directly with the community as she works to shape, adapt, and envision Belmont’s future for decades to come - with the overriding goal of maintaining Belmont’s unique character and enhancing its quality of life.

As always, please feel free to contact Julia with any questions, concerns, or thoughts.