Dr. Andy Gerken.

Hi, I'm Andy!

I've been an Orthopedic Surgeon at Hoag Memorial Hospital since 1998, focusing on complex joint surgeries, patient care, and developing new treatment approaches that have meaningfully improved patients' lives.

I was honored to serve twice as Chair of the Hospital's Orthopedic Department, where I worked to advance surgical techniques and patient outcomes while building a collaborative atmosphere among medical staff.

I also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Irvine, teaching and mentoring the next generation of orthopedic surgeons.

As a physician, I've spent my career listening carefully, evaluating facts, and making decisions that prioritize people's well-being. I intend to bring that same thoughtful, disciplined approach to city government.

For those who don't know me, my connection to Newport Beach goes back more than 50 years.

In 1972, my father helped bring Pacific Life from Los Angeles to Newport Beach and later played a key role in the development of PIMCO. He was also instrumental in establishing the Hoag Foundation. Long before I understood what any of that meant, I was growing up here, learning the values of service, community, and giving back.

I started fifth grade in Spyglass Hill, attended Corona del Mar High School, served as class president, earned straight A's, and set a two-mile track record that still stands today. Those experiences taught me the importance of hard work, discipline, and leadership.

After graduating from CDM, I attended Harvard University, where I captained the cross-country team. It was an honor to earn the trust of my teammates and learn what it means to lead by example.

But Newport Beach was always home.

I returned to California to attend the University of California, Irvine, where I spent nine years completing medical school and orthopedic training. During medical school, my classmates elected me student body president, and together we successfully advocated for improvements that benefited every student. It was an early lesson that good leadership begins with listening, identifying problems, and bringing people together to solve them.

Following additional specialty training in Texas and Colorado, my wife and I made the decision to return home to Newport Beach in 1998. For the next 24 years, I had the privilege of caring for thousands of patients as an orthopedic surgeon at Hoag Hospital. I served twice as Chairman of the Department of Orthopedics, held leadership positions within Newport Orthopedic Institute, and helped establish governance structures for a new orthopedic specialty hospital in Irvine.

Beyond my medical career, I have always believed in giving back to the community that has given so much to me and my family. For nearly 20 years, I volunteered as the team physician for Corona del Mar High School football, spending countless Friday nights on the sidelines helping keep our student-athletes safe. I also served on the AYSO soccer board while raising my three daughters here in Newport Beach.

Over the years, I've lived in Spyglass Hill, the Port Streets, and now Shore Cliffs. I've raised a family here, built a career here, volunteered here, and invested my life in this community.

My decision to run for City Council is simple: Newport Beach has given my family incredible opportunities, and I believe it's my responsibility to give back. I want to bring the same problem-solving approach, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and commitment to service that guided me throughout my medical career to help preserve what makes Newport Beach such an extraordinary place to live.

This city has been my home for more than five decades. I know its neighborhoods, I understand its challenges, and I'm committed to protecting its future for generations to come.