Election 2026: The Strawberry Recreation District two-year candidates at a glance

Aliza Hawkins, challenger

Age: 39.

Years as resident: 2½.

Occupation: Former senior account specialist at Rakuten Advertising and certified counselor.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in counseling, both from The Master’s University.

Civic background: Marriage and family counselor at Lighthouse Community Church in Torrance from 2019 to 2021.

Key issues: Community engagement and inclusive programming.

Quote: “We want our kids to grow up in a community that’s not just people who have kids and people who have young kids, but really a diverse representation of ages and different stages of life.”

Doug Twillman, incumbent

Age: 66.

Years as resident: 27.

Occupation: Financial analyst and consultant in commercial real estate.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Davis and a master’s degree in business from the University of San Francisco.

Civic background: Appointed to the Strawberry Recreation District board in September 2025; member of San Francisco’s Olympic Club, where he chaired the investment committee from 2012 to 2014.

Key issues: Fiscal oversight and completing the new playground.

Quote: “The budget should be well understood so that we can hold the contractors accountable and the community can hold us accountable for a successful physical and fiscal outcome.”