Born and raised on Long Island, Lenka credits her optimistic outlook on life, strong work ethic, and persistence on righting wrongs to her parents, Dan and Yvonne. Her dad came from a working-class neighborhood in Queens, New York; enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps; and eventually became a successful banker after some ups and downs in his life.

These downs included Dan’s wife – Lenka’s mom - dying unexpectedly from lung cancer when Lenka was only two years old. Yvonne came to the U.S. when she was a girl, having immigrated to New York’s Washington Heights from the Dominican Republic. Lenka’s mom, as well as her grandmother and uncle, had to start over when they arrived in the states including learning how to speak and read English.

Their courage and resolve to achieve a better life in America continue to drive Lenka’s efforts for working collaboratively and without prejudice to build a strong community.         

Lenka’s recent community involvement has included serving as the District 10 commissioner for the San José Redistricting Commission (2021) and committee member for the Oak Grove School District Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (2015-2016). In addition, she is an executive committee member, San José District 10 Leadership Coalition; community liaison committee co-chair, Almaden Valley Women’s Club; member, Almaden Valley Community Association; former member, Castillero Cobra Drama Booster Club; Pioneer High Drama Program, and Junior League of San Jose including as a junior and senior delegate to the State Public Affairs Committee.

Throughout her life, Lenka has dedicated herself to public service by serving the community through her chosen professions. She is a seasoned communications professional, having led citywide communications and outreach for five cities in California (Mountain View, Santa Clara and San José), Washington (Bellevue) and Texas (Abilene). Lenka currently serves as the City of Mountain View’s first Chief Communications Officer.

In addition, Lenka taught undergraduate and graduate classes, including crisis communications courses, as an adjunct professor for National University’s Strategic Communications program.

Prior to her career in public sector communications, Lenka was an award-winning news anchor/reporter at T.V. stations in Jacksonville, Florida; Long Island, New York (news producer); Rapid City, South Dakota; Waco/Temple/Killeen, Texas; and Casper, Wyoming. One of the high points in her broadcast journalism career was going overseas with the South Dakota Army National Guard to Bosnia-Herzegovina to report on the unsung efforts of these part-time soldiers in the war-torn country.

Lenka also recognized how she could make a positive difference in the lives of others through her work, especially when local viewers would voice frustration when “the system” was not effecting change fast enough for their situation. Through her reporting, Lenka has shed light on the rights of stalking victims and individuals living with disabilities, among others.   

Lenka holds a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications and Political Science from Indiana University and a master's degree with distinction in Communication Arts from New York Institute of Technology. She is a certified public manager through Texas State University-San Marcos.

Lenka’s spouse, Colonel Dave Wright, is in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He is also a captain with Delta Air Lines. Previously, Dave served in active duty as a pilot with the U.S. Air Force at Ellsworth and Dyess Air Force bases. He is a 2000 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.

Lenka, Dave and their daughter, Tabitha, live in Almaden Valley with their dogs. As a family, they enjoy taking bike rides, going to the movies at the Westfield Oakridge Mall, hitting golf balls at Santa Teresa Golf Club, and exploring nearby parks and trails including Guadalupe Oak Grove Park and Los Alamitos Creek Trail.

Wright Family