About Justin
Justin Chapman is an award-winning journalist, author, travel writer, actor, poet, musician, politician, adventurer, and dual U.S.-Irish citizen. He serves as the District 6 Council Liaison/Field Representative for Pasadena City Councilmember Steve Madison.
Justin was the youngest elected official in LA County as a member of the Altadena Town Council at age 19. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 2009 with a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications/Media Studies and from USC in 2018 with a Master's degree in Public Diplomacy. At USC, he served as editor-in-chief and design/layout editor of Public Diplomacy Magazine and as staff writer at the Daily Trojan.
He has written hundreds of articles for two dozen print and digital publications, including KPCC/LAist, Alta Journal, Huffington Post, LA Weekly, Berkeley Political Review, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Now, and many others. He has won a dozen journalism awards from the LA Press Club, including three 1st place awards. His first book, about his travels across Africa, Saturnalia: Traveling from Cape Town to Kampala in Search of an African Utopia, was published by Rare Bird Books in 2015. His second book, Paradise Springs, was published by Huttopia in 2024 and was nominated as a finalist in the Non-Fiction Book category of the LA Press Club's journalism awards.
He is the writer, host, producer, and editor of the show "Well Read with Justin Chapman," which won a Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media in 2025, and the writer, host, and producer of Pasadena Media's flagship TV news talk show "Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman," previously known as "NewsRap Local with Justin Chapman," which won a W.A.V.E. Award (Western Access Video Excellence) from the Alliance for Community West in 2024.
He has served on a number of boards, commissions, and committees. He previously served as the Digital Content Writer & Editor at Michelson Philanthropies and the Communications Officer at the Pacific Council on International Policy.
As a professional child actor, he performed in dozens of commercials, television shows, plays, and movies. He is also a golfer, snowboarder, skateboarder, skimboarder, and soccer player.
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