Founder & CEO

• May 2022 - Present

Advisor

• Mar 2020 - Present

Member Board of Directors

• Jul 2014 - Apr 2023

* Served as chair and vice chair of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors. This policy body governs the SFMTA and includes the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) and the Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT). * Develop the internal and external policy agenda and its metrics for the agency and its employees to serve the public. * Serve on the SFMTA’s Policy and Governance Committee, which focuses on the overall governance of the agency and its strategic plan. Show less

Head of Public Policy

• Nov 2020 - Jun 2022

* Develop and define Diamond Foundry’s agenda and voice on policy and regulatory issues to work with policymakers and regulators to create an ideal regulatory environment. *Advocate expertly by establishing and leading public policy and government relations, and civic partnership efforts at the local, state, federal levels. * Advance Diamond Foundry’s priorities and discussions in Washington and take a lead role in managing the company’s relationships with elected leaders from relevant local jurisdictions where there are business operations to the federal government and key industry voices. * Create the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda to establish Diamond Foundry as an influential civic stakeholder and protect business interests through government and influencer relations. Show less

Founder

• May 2019 - May 2022

* Founder of a consultancy focused on thought leadership, public policy, and strategic business advice working with hospitality businesses and startups. * Advise clients on operational structure, capacity, and audience development to create action plans and assets for marketing and communications, public policy, and investor outreach. * Facilitate relationship development with elected leaders and relevant government agencies. * Provide pro bono support for the Bay Area Hospitality Coalition, which was created in response to COVID-19, leading policy development, advocacy efforts, and operational activities. Show less

Advisor, Community Advisory Board

• Sep 2018 - Apr 2021

The Wells Fargo Bank Community Advisory Board provided guidance and feedback to Wells Fargo Bank on various community-related matters. The board was composed of individuals who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives, including community leaders, local government officials, nonprofit organizations, and small business owners. The Wells Fargo Bank Community Advisory Board provided guidance and feedback to Wells Fargo Bank on various community-related matters. The board was composed of individuals who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives, including community leaders, local government officials, nonprofit organizations, and small business owners.

Executive Director

• Feb 2014 - May 2019

* The chief officer of GGRA, leading the staff and board to modernize operations and successfully achieve year over year growth while increasing the organization’s political clout and stature. * Overhauled operational structure and capacity: creating new staff roles, internal policies, implementing technology tools for membership engagement, creating new programs and revenue streams and eliminating outdated programs. * Strategically engaged and managed relationships across a variety of stakeholders including GGRA’s membership, elected officials, sponsors, other business organizations, consumers, and more, growing support for the San Francisco Bay Area restaurant community. * Develop the public policy agenda and related outreach strategy to engage board and membership with elected leadership. * Define, execute, manage and communicate evolving public policy issues and government relations advocacy to support or defeat legislative and ballot initiatives; issues included labor policy, tax, healthcare, land use, privacy, TCPA and PCI compliance, environmental sustainability and antitrust. * Manage the GGRA Political Action Committee (PAC), setting policy for supporting politicians or ballot initiatives. * Positioned GGRA as a thought leader, contributing opinion pieces to publications including Esquire and the San Francisco Business Times, participating in radio and television interviews and on panels, and generating global press being quoted in numerous outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, Forbes, Bloomberg, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and The Guardian. * Redefined the brand and communications presence of GGRA — from web presence to social media achieving as much as 1000% growth. * Served on the Host Committees for Super Bowl 50 and the World Rugby 7s, creating visibility and opportunities for restaurants to prosper from these large scale sporting events. Show less

Commissioner

• Jun 2008 - Jul 2014

The San Francisco Planning Commission modifies and implements the city's General Plan, which serves as a basis for decisions that affect all aspects of our everyday lives from where we live and work to how we move about. It is both a strategic and long term document, broad in scope and specific in nature and is based on a creative consensus concerning social, economic, and environmental issues. State law requires that the General Plan address seven issues: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise and safety. The Planning Commission primarily deals with land use decisions and their intersection with the other important public policy issues. Show less

Manager Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs Western US

• Dec 2003 - Jan 2014

• Manage corporate citizenship and philanthropic programs for Northern California, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Washington and Alaska, implementing IBM’s corporate citizenship initiatives. • Develop strategic partnerships for administering a portfolio of services, cash and equipment grants to nonprofits and schools. • Perform government relations, meeting with and presenting to elected officials, particularly Members of Congress, keeping government officials aware of IBM’s community initiatives and policy positions. • Work closely with nonprofits, school districts and the California State Superintendent’s office to participate in education policy initiatives that focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and workforce development. • Provide IBM thought leadership related to our areas of expertise in corporate citizenship, Smarter Cities and Smarter Planet on panels, at events and in the press. Show less

Director, Government & Community Relations

• Jan 2001 - Dec 2003

• Responsible for advocating business interests at the state, local and federal level. • Performed press outreach: acted as media spokesperson, wrote opinion editorials, talking points and press releases to communicate the Chamber’s position on transportation, economic development, tax policy and other general business legislative issues. • Lead the Chamber’s transportation, water and power policy agendas: analyzing and advocating policies, organizing monthly forums with appropriate Bay Area agencies, participating in advisory committees, testifying at hearings, contacting elected officials on legislation and generating letters of support. • Planned and managed public policy programs to educate and inform the Chamber's Board of Directors and general membership, including performing in-depth analysis of state and local ballot measures and overseeing voter polling analysis. • Planned and orchestrated the Chamber’s annual leadership exchange. Show less

Legislative Aide

• Oct 1999 - Jan 2001

• Developed, wrote and helped to pass legislation focusing on small business issues, land use planning, non-profit and homeless policy concerns, working closely with the Mayor’s Office, various city departments and major interest groups. • Regularly performed press outreach, writing opinion editorials, press releases and talking points to garner media coverage for the supervisor. • Cultivated core messaging around key policy issues for the legislator. • Wrote resolutions, certificates of honor, constituent correspondence, business communications and formal statements of commitments on behalf of the supervisor. • Mediated major policy and legal conflicts, in one case resulting in a $750,000 legal settlement. Show less

Project Manager

• May 1998 - Oct 1999

Planned and managed community and press outreach strategies for clients primarily engaged in land use development issues. Clients included the Community Shelter Board, Columbus Ohio, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Electrical Workers Union (IBEW), SKS Investments, Sutro Tower and United Artists. Wrote editorials, newsletters, and talking points for hearings, letters to decision-makers and collateral materials for influencing the land use planning process. Won several notable land use approvals including variances, conditional use and multi-million dollar project approvals. Devised lobbying piece on prevailing wage that was used at the state and federal level by NECA/IBEW. Show less

Project Assistant

• Apr 1996 - May 1998

Performed research and prepared briefs on international security issues. Developed a communications strategy for disseminating the project's research findings. Orchestrated highly successful meetings and conferences with leading academics in the arms control/international security field. Performed all office operational functions. Performed research and prepared briefs on international security issues. Developed a communications strategy for disseminating the project's research findings. Orchestrated highly successful meetings and conferences with leading academics in the arms control/international security field. Performed all office operational functions.

Staff Assistant

• Oct 1995 - Apr 1996

Processed constituent mail and comment calls. Performed legislative research. Processed constituent mail and comment calls. Performed legislative research.