2025 Light the night honorees
Mayor James T. Butts
On February 1, 2011, James T. Butts, Jr. was sworn in as Inglewood’s 12th mayor. James Butts has 53 years of public safety and municipal government experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from California State University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from California Polytechnic University. Mayor Butts has held the rank of CEO, general manager, or assistant general manager of three large municipal organizations. He served 19 years in the Inglewood Police Department, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief, 15 years as the Chief of Police for the City of Santa Monica, and five years as an assistant general manager for Los Angeles World Airports in charge of Public Safety and Counterterrorism, taking LAX to a NUMBER 1 ranking nationwide by the TSA in 2009. He is a 9-year Board member and past Chairman of the Los Angeles METRO Board of Directors. He is a recipient of the Medal of Valor from the Inglewood Police Department.
In 2011, Mayor Butts negotiated with Madison Square Garden to renovate the Forum. In 2016, the Forum became the #1 concert venue in California. Mayor Butts secured the reinstatement of the then federally defunded Residential Sound Insulation Program by obtaining over $100 million in grant funding. Inglewood now operates the #1 Residential Sound Insulation Program in the country. On November 4, 2014, James T. Butts was re-elected Mayor of Inglewood with over 83% of the votes cast—the highest margin of victory in Inglewood electoral history. He was again re-elected in 2018 and 2022 is now the longest serving mayor in the history of Inglewood.
In 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, Mayor Butts was named one of the 500 most influential leaders in LA County by the Los Angeles Business Journal. His business expertise prevented bankruptcy in a city that Bond Rating agencies had ceased to rate for bond worthiness as late as 2010. Mayor Butts negotiated the return of the NFL to Southern California. Both the Rams and Chargers played home games in Inglewood commencing the 2020 season.
In June of 2017, Mayor Butts led the City to open negotiations with the Los Angeles Clippers with the mutual intent of relocating the Clippers to Inglewood into a cutting-edge NBA arena. The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles relocated to Inglewood from Marina Del Rey in 2019.
In 2021, the LA Philharmonic relocated its Youth Orchestra Program (YOLA) to Inglewood; YouTube opened a 6,000-seat theater in Inglewood; the NFL Network relocated from Culver City to Inglewood; in 2022 Showtime opened 115,000 Square Feet Production Studio in the north end industrial area of the City and YouTube opened a 6,000-seat performing arts theater. In February of 2022, Super Bowl LVI was held in Inglewood and the Rams were victorious; in 2023, the NCAA Championship Bowl game was held in Inglewood and WrestleMania was held here as well. By Fall of 2024, the Clippers will open a state of the art NBA arena – The Intuit Dome – in Inglewood.
In 2026, the NBA All Star Weekend will be hosted in Inglewood and will be the site of 8 FIFA World Cup matches. In 2027, Super Bowl LXI will kickoff in Inglewood. Finally, in 2028, the Olympic Games will open in Inglewood, California and Olympic Basketball and Swimming competitions will occur in the resurrected City of Champions.
mark fronterotta, chief of police
Mark Fronterotta was appointed Chief of Police of the Inglewood Police Department on January 23, 2013, after serving as Acting Chief of Police since June 2012. Chief Fronterotta was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and graduated from Lowell University with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. He began his law enforcement career in September 1981 and is a 44-year veteran of the Inglewood Police Department. Chief Fronterotta has been instrumental in developing police personnel to utilize a concept of directed patrols, specifically addressing quality of life issues, crime prevention, violent crime, and reducing the fear of crime in the City of Inglewood. Chief Fronterotta is committed to reducing crime and the fear of crime in our community. He supports a strong relationship with our community in which all its citizens, including communities of faith, enjoy a sense of security and safety as they go about their daily lives.
dr. BRANDI ODOM LUCAS, educator
Dr. Brandi Odom Lucas is a distinguished educator and dynamic leader, deeply committed to driving transformational and systemic change within academic institutions. Her work centers on the critical role school teams play in advancing their institutions’ missions and cultivating a culture rooted in purpose, accountability, and collaboration.
Guided by the belief that “culture is defined by the behaviors we allow and the systems we reinforce,” Dr. Odom Lucas is passionate about helping school communities examine the depth of their impact. Her approach encourages teams to reflect on their alignment with mission, the strength of interdepartmental relationships, and the effectiveness of their support for student learning and growth.
Dr. Odom Lucas holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychobiology from the University of California Los Angeles, a Master’s degree in Catholic School Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice, both from Loyola Marymount University. Her doctoral dissertation, Sweet Spirit: The Pedagogical Relevance of the Black Church for African-American Males, explored the intersection of faith-based traditions and culturally responsive pedagogy. Her scholarship also includes co-authoring the chapter “Can’t Turn Around!”: The Road to Equity in Catholic School Leadership in Conscience & Catholic Education, and publishing “Transformation from Within: Grounded Practice of Teachers Amidst Cultural Changes” in the Journal of Catholic Education.
Currently, she serves as the Head of School at St. Mary’s Academy and a part-time lecturer at Loyola Marymount University. Her leadership extends beyond the classroom through roles such as President of the Site Leadership Council for Gonzalez Elementary School and Member of the High School Leadership Council for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Dr. Brandi Odom Lucas remains steadfast in her commitment to educational equity and innovation, dedicated to cultivating sustainable, thriving environments where students and educators are empowered to excel while making space for future leaders to serve morally, ethically, and responsibly in our global society.