[5] She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2004 cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and gender studies.

[6][7] At Notre Dame, she participated in a performance of The Vagina Monologues which caused controversy with the administration, and also was vice president of the College Republicans.

[5] While in her first term in the City Council, she continued an effort she'd started before her appointment to secure funding to test DNA on a severe backlog of over 5,000 untested rape kits.

[10] After her swearing in, councilmember John Duran filed a motion to make Horvath the mayor for the coming year, which was approved by the Council unanimously.

[22] Shortly after assuming office, Horvath authored a proclamation of local emergency for homelessness in Los Angeles County.

[23][24] In the aftermath of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, Horvath requested that state housing laws be temporarily waived in Los Angeles County.