Tom Berryhill’s early years were spent on a farm in central California. A 

graduate of California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, Berryhill comes 
from a line of fourth-generation farmers and a family with a history of public 
service, his late father Clare Berryhill, was a lawmaker.

"My family was really engaged in politics, over the last 30 years we have been very engaged in the democratic process," he said during a phone interview.
 

Motivated by the agricultural community of the San Juaquin Valley in 2006 Berryhill dedicated himself to serve as assemblymember of the 25th district. Berryhill said he was committed to educating people in agriculture areas about the legislative process and how they could become active in passing laws to help agriculture,"The agriculture communities were the first conservationist," he said. 

He has helped introduce laws like AB 545, The Land Preservation Tax Conformity, which would help preserve farm land by increasing charitable tax deductions of farmers if they agree to not sell their land to developers. He has also succeeded in passing AB 1559, The Train More Nurses Act of 2007, which would reform nursing programs in California community colleges and create a “Master Plan for Nursing Education” as stated on his website. 

Berryhill said during his time in the legislature he wanted to work for a comprehensive water project and increase the scope of the nursing project and the California State Water Project, “I am a champion when he comes to water policy and flood control,” he said.

Berryhill is also active among a variety of community groups and committees in 
the 25th district which he has been serving since December of 2006. 
The 25th district is both historically significant and contributes billions to 
the states economy through agriculture. It includes: Modesto, Riverbank, 
Oakdale, Chowchilla, Mammoth Lakes, Waterford, Sonora, Hughson, Angels Camp and 
Madera.

During his college years, Berryhill used athletics as a way to keep a week heart 
in running order. When he was 21, he learned that his his heart was wearing out 
and needed a new valve, ending his athletic career.

It wasn’t until 1996 when Berryhill credits a tightly contested loss for State 
Assembly as the turning point in his health. After a consultation with a doctor, 
he learned that he needed a new heart. In 2001, Berryhill, 47 at the time, 
successfully underwent heart replacement surgery at San Francisco’s California 
Pacific Medical Center.

Upon the surgery, Berryhill received notoriety as being the only heart 
transplant survivor in public office in the United States. Berryhill also 
received attention during the primary election of 2006 when state Assembly 
candidate Bill Conrad ran his a campaign arguing that Berryhill could not 
effectively run the district due to his heart transplant. Conrad Sent out 
mailers with the caption, “Tom Berryhill doesn’t have the HEART for State 
Assembly.”

The flyer also read, “Can you imagine the costs to taxpayers for a special 
election when poor health renders him unable to fulfill the duties of 
office?”and “Republicans deserve a strong candidate.”

“He's set a new low,” said Berryhill. “This is the type of thing that keeps good 
people from running for office.” (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Conrad debated the issue arguing that the situation is similar to Vice President 
Dick Cheney’s heart problems.

Ultimately the voters rejected the negative ad’s and Conrad electing Berryhill 
to the assembly.

Today, Berryhill is married to wife Loretta and has two daughters, Jessica and 
Samantha