City Council member Kevin McKeown and Genise Schnitman wed in county Chambers in Norwalk, Monday afternoon, December 7, 2009.
Schnitman, who will be keeping her own name, and McKeown have been in a relationship for three years. Both of them being highly active in local politics, the two met working on the steering committee for Santa Monica Renters’ Rights, but began their relationship after she had worked on his 2006 reelection campaign.
“By the end, we realized we had fallen in love,” said McKeown Tuesday afternoon to the Mirror.
The couple enjoyed a brief and “colorful” engagement, lasting the entire drive from getting their marriage license to Norwalk via the freeway. It was about an hour in length.
Both natives of New York, Schnitman from Long Island and McKeown from Mount Vernon, the two have lived in Santa Monica for more than 25 years respectively. Besides being on the City Council since 1998, McKeown is co-chair of the Sustainability Committee for the Westside Cities Council of Governments, is vice-chair of the Irish-American Caucus of the California Democratic Party, and is the educational technology consultant to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
Schnitman is still on the steering committee of Santa Monicans forRenters’ Rights, the executive board of the Santa Monica Democratic Club and is active in the League of Women Voters. She is also a freelance editor and grant writer.
Known among coworkers and friends for their adoration of one another, McKeown said he was often teased by City Manager Lamont Ewell for “lighting up” every time Schnitman attended a Council meeting.
“Everybody is thrilled and nobody is surprised,” said McKeown.
