Beth Garfield graduated with distinction from Stanford University and attended the University of Michigan Law School. At Stanford, Beth was Co-President of the Associated Students and one of the founders of the Center for Research on Women, now the Clayman Institute for Gender Research.
She moved to Los Angeles after graduating from law school. She was the Chief of the Legal Division and Director of the Healthcare and White-Collar Divisions at a public sector union representing county workers. She later co-founded a law firm specializing in the representation of unions in both the public and private sectors where she worked for several decades.
Beth was also an elected member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees. During a dire financial crisis, she was elected President of the Board and led a massive reorganization of the district. This experience taught Beth how important collaboration among all interest groups is to achieve change.
Beth’s introduction to the Los Angeles Fire Department was in 2012 when she was hired to represent the United Firefights of Los Angeles (UFLAC) and serve as the union’s chief negotiator. She represented UFLAC for several years and negotiated three collective bargaining agreements. During this time, she learned a great deal about the Fire department and how to find resolution to issues that impact both the department and the union.
After retiring, she joined the Board of Directors of A Community of Friends. ACOF is an organization that builds permanent supportive housing for people who are unhoused and suffer from mental illness. Beth is also the Senior Co-Director of Minds Matter Southern California, which is a non-profit organization that provides a three-year program that assists high-achieving, low-income high school students in applying to and preparing for college.
She also serves on the Advisory Council of the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford, which is the organization that she helped found when she was a student.
Beth lives in Windsor Square with her husband, Wally Knox. Wally was a union lawyer and an elected member of the California Assembly. Beth and Wally recently celebrated their 46th anniversary! They have two incredible daughters, Aviva and Tamara, and one very energetic and delightful grandson named Wilder.