Susan M. Rhilinger was elected to the Torrance City Council on June 3, 2008.  She currently serves as chair of the Transportation Committee and as chair of the Naming of Public Facilities Committee.  She also serves as the voting delegate to the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) and as the alternate voting delegate to the Independent Cities Association.  In addition, she serves as a member of the Finance and Governmental Operations Committee, the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee, the 2010 Ad Hoc State Legislative Advocacy Committee, and the Ad Hoc Centennial Committee.   

Susan was previously employed by the City; she served on the Torrance Police Department from 1970 through August 2002, when she retired with the rank of Police Captain.  She is a graduate of both the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia and the Command College sponsored by the State of California's Commission on Police Officers' Standards and Training.

Prior to her election to City Council, Susan Rhilinger served on the Torrance Airport Commission.  She is also an alumnus of Leadership Torrance, a program of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce.  For her contributions to the Torrance community, she received "Woman in the History of Torrance" honors from Torrance Historical Society and "Woman of the Year" Award from Torrance-South Bay YWCA.

Susan M. Rhilinger holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola Marymount University and Master's degree from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.