Delegates

Adrian Granda has served as Director of Government Affairs for the City of San Diego since 2020 under the leadership of Mayor Todd Gloria, overseeing a department of seven staff in advocating for the City's strategic legislative initiatives at the federal, state, and regional levels of government. The Department of Government Affairs works collaboratively with the Office of the Mayor, City Council, and City staff to engage elected representatives, agencies, and private and non-profit partners to advance city priorities. Adrian has worked in the Department of Government Affairs since 2018, and also oversees the City's coordination with regional agencies including the County of San Diego, SANDAG, the Airport Authority, County Water Authority, and other regional agencies.

Prior to his service at the City of San Diego, Adrian served as a policy advisor for the County of San Diego from 2016-2018 covering issue areas including economic development, public safety, veterans affairs, land use, and transportation. Adrian also held several previous positions at the City of San Diego from 2012-2016, including Director of Communications, Policy Advisor, Director of Legislative Affairs, and Council Representative.

Adrian Granda has both a bachelor's and master's degree in political science from the California State University, Long Beach, where he focused on international relations, political theory and statistical analysis.

Alessandra Lezama is the founder and CEO of TOOTRiS, an award-winning On-Demand Child Care platform that is reinventing how parents access affordable, high-quality child care. A passionate advocate for Women in the Workforce and Early Childhood Education and Care, she serves on the San Diego County Child Care Local Planning Council, chairs the Public-Private Resource Committee, serves as Vice-Chair at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, is on the Board of the San Diego Foundation, and is a member of the California Business Preschool Advisory Council. In 2022 Alessandra was appointed to Ready Nation's CEO Taskforce for Child Care, most recently recognized as Woman of the District (39) by CA Senate President Pro Tempore, Toni Atkins, and named to the 2023 Top Innovative Female Founder's List by Inc Magazine. Alessandra lives in Scripps Ranch, CA, where she is  an active advocate for the business community.

Alison is Vice President, Engagement for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she is responsible for the strategy, tactics, and programs to create interest, demand, and recognition for the Chamber and advancing the organization's mission of making the San Diego region the best place to live and work.

Amber joined the Scripps Health family in January of 2014 and serves as senior director, government relations. Amber is responsible for Scripps legislative agenda and works with elected officials and regulators on the unique issues facing Scripps Health in alignment with Scripps mission and corporate priorities at the local, state and federal level. Amber represents Scripps with industry associations, public issue groups, and regional business, civic and community-based organizations. She also manages Scripps' community relations program in coordination with corporate and marketing priorities. Prior to joining Scripps, Amber had been practicing public affairs and government relations in Southern California for 12 years, most recently with Sempra Energy Utilities. Amber has received accolades throughout the years including the 2022 American Hospital Association's champion award for the State of California, a 2010 Woman of Distinction Award from Assemblymember Bill Emmerson of the 63rd Assembly District and one of Vista's 40 under 40 in 2016. Currently, Amber serves in the following leadership roles: University Community Planning Group Member, Member of the Cal State San Marcos University Presidents Council, Board Member of the San Diego North Economic Development Council, Board Member of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and Member of the North County Advisory Board for the San Diego Food Bank. Amber, her husband Alex and son Ty reside in San Marcos, CA.

Angel Ibarra is an accomplished professional currently serving as the Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and Government Affairs at Episcopal Community Services. With a firm belief in the mission of Episcopal Community Services, he is dedicated to serving individuals in need through programs that foster hope, dignity, and independence. He finds fulfillment in working with an organization that successfully achieves its mission by providing essential and high-quality social services to San Diego residents.

Throughout his career, Angel has held various educational and social service-related positions. He has made significant contributions to the field of education and school administration in Philadelphia, PA. Additionally, he worked with the Trans-Border Institute at The University of San Diego, where he focused on showcasing and expanding the opportunities available along the bi-national border. More recently, as an Outreach and Advocacy Director in Oceanside, CA, Angel collaborated with communities across San Diego's North County in the areas of food insecurity, immigration and housing assistance.

Angel's educational background includes a BA in Politics from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., a Master's Degree in Education from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, P.A., and a Master's Degree in Peace and Justice from The University of San Diego. These academic achievements have provided him with a solid foundation for understanding complex societal issues and addressing them effectively.

President and CEO of MAAC, a nonprofit organization that provides programs, leadership development, and advocacy throughout the county of San Diego. Arnulfo has worked in the nonprofit field, including affordable housing development, for over 30 years. His experience spans the areas of program development and operations, new construction, acquisition and rehabilitation, re-syndication, homeownership, and property management. Arnulfo has served on the boards of the San Diego Housing Federation and Housing California over the past 2 decades. He presently serves on the board of directors of Unidos US, a national Latino advocacy organization, the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Public Library Foundation, and has recently joined the San Diego Housing Federation board of directors. Arnulfo is an alumnus of UC San Diego, earning a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies and planning in 1993. He earned a Master of Arts in Leadership and Nonprofit Management from University of San Diego in 2005. With just over 500 employees, MAAC has expanded its work in the areas of Education, Health, Economic Development, Housing, and Leadership & Advocacy and currently has projects under construction and a growing pipeline of new construction projects for the coming years.

My name is Aurora Livingston and I am a District Representative for State Senator Catherine Blakespear in District 38. I cover the City of San Diego within the district as well as housing and homelessness policy.

Brian Elliott joins Councilmember Joe LaCava after serving as a policy advisor for City of San Diego Councilmember Chris Ward (District 3). In this role, Brian's areas of focus included energy & sustainability, homelessness, and the economic development of Downtown San Diego.

Brian has previously worked for U.S. Representative Scott Peters (CA-52) where he covered energy, environmental, homelessness, defense, and biotech matters in the district. Brian completed his bachelor's degree at the University of Portland and received his master's degree in environmental policy from the University of Pennsylvania. His wife, Sheila Rao, and he are residents of Downtown San Diego and find every possible opportunity to run trails.

Contact Brian Elliott at belliott@sandiego.gov.

Cassandra Weinlein joined the Cox Communications team in early 2018 working to advance Cox's position locally with government entities. Currently, Cassandra represents Cox Communications at the state level serving as Director of Government Affairs. In her role, Cassandra advocates and educates on important and business impacting legislation while advancing issues to further serve Californians' broadband needs.

Cassandra has extensive experience in local, state, and federal government. She has worked locally as a Director of Policy for a San Diego Councilmember, a California State Senator, as well as a United States Congressman. Cassandra has worked in both policy and community affairs throughout the Southern California region with a focus in fostering bi-partisan partnerships to implement policy changes.

Chris Olsen serves as Chief of Staff for Jewish Family Service of San Diego and has been with JFS since August 2020. In this role, Chris has agency-wide responsibility for all policy and advocacy work focused on issues that impact JFS clients and practice areas, including homelessness, aging in place, immigration, nutrition, Holocaust survivor care, and more.

Chris brings nearly 20 years of leadership experience in local government and nonprofits to the JFS team, having worked previously in various capacities supporting elected officials and city management in Los Angeles, Charlotte and San Diego. Prior to joining JFS, Chris served as a fiscal and policy analyst for the City of San Diego's Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, overseeing the City's annual budget, leading community engagement and evaluating revenue projections and policy decisions.

Chris is also a Lecturer at the San Diego State University School of Public Affairs, as well as a member of the advisory board for PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) San Diego. Chris obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Claudia Huerta is the Vice President of Business Engagement and Partnerships at the San Diego Workforce Partnership. She leads employer engagement and job quality education efforts. Claudia and her team provide employers with access to local talent pools, training resources, market insights, and job quality education to help support their growth and sustainability and advance a more equitable and diverse labor market across San Diego County.

Prior to joining the San Diego Workforce Partnership, Claudia held leadership roles strengthening collaborative teamwork and stakeholder engagement. Most recently, as the Director of Implementations at Veyo, she led cross-functional teams to ensure seamless client transitions for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation services with public agencies and private managed healthcare organizations. Before then, she led revitalization efforts in Carlsbad Village, was instrumental in securing a multi-agency partnership between the City of Carlsbad, NCTD, and SANDAG to advance a micro-transit project in Carlsbad, and helped launch Carlsbad’s Transportation Demand Management program to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled. Claudia has also managed local, state, and federal lobbying efforts, voter engagement campaigns and partnered with legislators, city agencies, industry associations, and community organizations to attract and retain businesses, negotiate municipal code updates, and expand access to healthcare and advance social justice in Southern California.

Claudia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Spanish Literature and a Master of Science in Urban Planning from Columbia University. She lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, loves to explore cities, and writes about urban development.

Corrine Brindley's SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment career began in 1987 in the SeaWorld San Diego Public Relations Department. Responsibilities included acting as park spokesperson, developing story ideas, and writing press releases.

In 1996 SeaWorld San Diego tapped Corrine to lead a new team: Marketing Services. In this capacity, she guided print, broadcast, collateral and advertising material, creative direction, and brand development.

Two years later Corrine helped coordinate the company's first ballot initiative. The passage of Proposition D, the SeaWorld height initiative, allowed the park to propose attractions over 30 feet tall on the park's city-leased land. Shortly after that, she was tasked with developing SeaWorld’s first formal Community and Government Relations Department.

In 2010, as part of a company restructuring, she was promoted to Vice President of External Affairs on the company's corporate team.

Currently, Corrine is responsible for developing and maintaining a strong governmental, political, and community network. She serves as the primary political contact for city, county, and state representatives for all 12 parks in the company's portfolio as well as at the Federal level. She manages issues that come before political bodies and coordinates SeaWorld's analysis and response.

A native San Diegan and graduate of the University of California, San Diego, she sits on numerous industry boards and committees and is active at the local and state level.

Crystal Norman joined NASSCO in July 2020 and serves as the Sr. Communications and Community Outreach Specialist, responsible for the for supporting NASSCO’s public relations and community outreach efforts. Prior to joining NASSCO, Crystal worked as a public affairs consultant, supporting a variety of public and private sector clients. Crystal graduated from California State University, San Bernardino with a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations.

Commissioner Danielle Moore was sworn in to the Board of Port Commissioners in March 2022, after appointment by the San Diego City Council. A native San Diegan, Commissioner Moore has over a decade of experience as an attorney and her current practice focuses on the renewable energy industry. She currently serves on the board of The New Children's Museum and is also a member of the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association and San Diego Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Commissioner Moore is a graduate of the Howard University School of Law, a historically Black university in Washington D.C. where she was a Merit Scholar. She is also a graduate of Stanford University and the recipient of the Stanford Alumni Association's Award of Merit for her volunteer service.

A policy communicator, David Yow serves as Legislative Policy Administrator for the Port of San Diego. There, he collaborates internal and external stakeholders, aligns legislative and regulatory interests with organizational priorities, and translates Port policy goals into legislative action based on the belief that good politics is about addition, not subtraction.
David is delighted to serve on a brilliant team of people who love San Diego Bay. Currently, he works with various Port District departments on pursuing public policy priorities at the state and federal level and is proud to support the strategic advocacy of maritime industry, tourism, water and land recreation, environmental stewardship and public safety. Engaging the Legislature and Congress and agencies in both Sacramento and Washington is a dynamic challenge, whether it's growing support for clean, sustainable port operations or evangelizing the promise that blue technology holds for our precious natural resources.
David also enjoys investing time with his family and connecting people to the joy of professional-caliber live choral music by singing in the San Diego Master Chorale.

Dimitrios Alexiou is the President and CEO of Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, a non-profit trade association representing hospitals and health systems. Mr. Alexiou joined the Hospital Association in December 2014. As President & CEO of HASD, Mr. Alexiou provides leadership, representation, advocacy, and acts as an advisory on behalf of over 38 hospitals and health systems in the 2-county region. He serves as a Board Advisor to the California Hospital Association Board of Trustees, representing over 400 hospitals throughout California; and on CHA special committees to address issues of quality and patient safety, managed care, finance, and issues specific to non-profit hospitals, integrated systems, and academic medical centers. Nationally, he is engaged in hospital issues through the American Hospital Association Region Nine Policy Board; the Conference of Metropolitan & Regional Hospital Associations Board of Directors; and the American College of Healthcare Executives Health Associations Committee. Regionally, Mr. Alexiou is active on a number of health-related boards and committees, including the County of San Diego's Health Services Advisory Board and Healthy San Diego; San Diegans for Healthcare Coverage Board; San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Health Committee and Public Policy Committee; Regional Task Force on Homelessness Continuum of Care Advisory Board; 2-1-1 San Diego Community Information Exchange Advisory Board; San Diego Health Connect Board; and The Children's Initiative Board. Mr. Alexiou has a Master's degree in Health Administration from California State University.

Dulce Pelayo is a 28-year-old student pursuing a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies at National University. She has been a part of the Guardian Scholar's Program since 2021. At the age of 16, Dulce entered care after her mother's sudden passing.

Right after my mother's death, I knew that pursuing my education and
becoming a role model for my younger sisters was a must. The expectations of
me becoming someone in life were low. At the age of nineteen, I became
a single mother and left school due to that. When my son turned four, I was
given the opportunity to start at National University to pursue my educational goals. I want to be a role model for my sibling and my now seven-year-old son, Marcello. Dulce

Dulce currently works as a case worker for a nonprofit organization that supports unhoused individuals and families find housing. Her ultimate goal is to become a caseworker with the county and assist others in achieving financial stability.

Dulce is highly involved in our program. She and her son attend our parenting group, she attends all She was also the recipient of our housing scholarship in 2021.

Guarding Scholars has been here every step of the way, assisting me through my education and assisting me with raising my son. I have been provided with love and support and have used it as guidance to keep moving forwards toward my goals and education.

Elizabeth Fitzsimons is CEO of Episcopal Community Services. ECS breaks barriers and transforms communities by providing vital, high-quality social services that focus on early childhood education and development, homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorder. The ECS team of 450 employees serves 7,000 people annually through programs at 23 locations across San Diego, South Bay, and El Cajon.

Since joining ECS in 2021, Elizabeth has led ECS through a transition from a membership organization model of governance to a self-perpetuating board; expansion of its behavioral health programming; launch and completion of strategic planning and rebranding; and formation of a staff-driven Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative.

Before joining ECS, Elizabeth served as Vice President of Leadership & Engagement at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she led LEAD San Diego. Previously, Elizabeth was Senior Director of Marketing & Communications at Rady Children's Hospital. Earlier, Elizabeth worked at the County of San Diego in media and public relations and internal communications. Her San Diego career started as a journalist at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Elizabeth is a 2013 graduate of LEAD's Impact program. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and a master's degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth is a member of San Diego Rotary Club 33. She served two terms as a City of San Diego Library Commissioner; and currently serves on the Board of Governors for the University Club Atop Symphony Towers.

Since becoming the fourth president of California State University in July 2019, Dr. Ellen Neufeldt has focused on engaging, interacting, listening, and building relationships with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community constituents.

A champion of innovation and entrepreneurship, President Neufeldt oversaw the opening of CSUSM's Innovation Hub, an on-campus home for meeting societal needs, less than a year into her tenure in March 2020. But her commitment to innovation goes beyond a physical space, encompassing an entire ecosystem that includes a critical focus on social innovation.

President Neufeldt is also firmly committed to ensuring that Cal State San Marcos is a diverse, inclusive and welcome home for students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Focusing throughout her career on student success and student social mobility, she cares deeply about being part of the solution to creating pathways for students to achieve their dreams. In February 2022, President Neufeldt signed an MOU with the Coalition on Black and African American Education, a collection of community-based organizations that works to close educational equity gaps related to historically underrepresented students. In October 2022, CSUSM received the Freedom Fighter of the Year award from the North San Diego County branch of the NAACP.

Each day she works toward making CSUSM a national model for guiding students throughout the student life cycle so that they become engaged and active alumni in the community while fueling the needs of the region. In November 2022, the university catapulted 32 spots to No. 1 in the nation out of almost 1,500 colleges and universities in the Social Mobility Index which measures the extent to which a university educates more economically disadvantaged students at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs. CSUSM is also represented in the top 10 in the west on U.S. News & World Report's Top Performers on Social Mobility report and Best Undergraduate Teaching.

Taking this commitment to student success and social mobility further, President Neufeldt championed an institutional strategic planning process. In spring 2022, after more than a year of gathering input, vision casting and prioritizing goals, CSUSM solidified its new institutional strategic plan, “The Power of CSUSM's which will guide the campus for the next five years and beyond.

Underscoring her commitment to Cal State San Marcos' role in cultivating partnerships that create opportunities for students and enrich the communities served by the university, President Neufeldt serves on the board of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and on the board of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities.

Dr. Neufeldt has been recognized with numerous awards, including in recent years:

A 2022 Distinguished Alumna Awardee from Tennessee Technological University.
A 2022 San Diego Business Journal CEO of the Year Awardee.
The 2020 Outstanding Enrollment Professional Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Enrollment Management KC.
The 2018 Melvene Hardee Award, awarded by the Southern Association of College Student Affairs, recognizing her contributions to the student affairs profession for national work in social mobility and student success.
The 2017 Pillar of the Profession, awarded by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, for sustained professional distinction in higher education.
The 2016 Howard Davis Senior Award, awarded by the Southern Association of College Student Affairs, for outstanding service.
The 2014 Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Senior Student Affairs Officer, awarded by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, presented to a lead student affairs officer who has demonstrated sustained professional achievement in student affairs work, innovative response in meeting students varied and emerging needs, effectiveness in developing staff, and leadership in community and college or university affairs.
The 2014 John Jones Award for Outstanding Performance as a Senior Student Affairs Officer, awarded by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Region III, based on criteria of outstanding administrative competency, respect of colleagues and students, innovative programming, leadership on campus and in the community, staff development, and significant contribution to the field.

Elly Maienschein serves as the Vice President of Government Relations for Sharp HealthCare, the largest provider of care and largest private employer in San Diego County. Elly is responsible for working with and educating public officials and regulators about the issues facing Sharp on the local, state and federal levels. She represents Sharp with elected officials, industry associations, public issue groups, and regional business, civic and community-based organizations. Prior to Sharp, Elly was the Director of the Government Affairs Division at the California Department of Education (CDE), managing legislative and fiscal policy initiatives for the Department and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. She also served as the Legislature's primary point of contact to CDE, frequently testifying before Policy, Budget and Select Committees. Elly's experience includes public affairs for public, private, and non-profit entities including Palomar Health, Project Lead the Way, and Fresno State University. Elly is a proud alum of the University of Southern California (MPA) and Point Loma Nazarene University (BA).

As a banking executive and senior business leader, I bring an extensive record of success and expertise in exceeding revenue objectives, while making a positive corporate impact in the communities I serve. I excel at building and executing strategies that successfully balance business growth with service delivery; ensuring world-class customer experiences; and creating a culture based on performance, efficiency, and high-quality deliverables. Beyond expertise, I bring an unwavering dedication to professional excellence - a key driver in my ability to build, retain and motivate teams that consistently deliver standout contributions to customers, business metrics, and the community.

Considered one of the preeminent transportation planning experts in the nation, Hasan Ikhrata is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). SANDAG is the leading research, planning, and transportation agency for the San Diego region. The agency builds consensus; makes strategic plans; obtains and allocates resources; plans, engineers, and builds public transportation, and provides information on a broad range of topics pertinent to the region's quality of life. Agency policymakers are elected officials from each of the area's 18 cities and the county. Mr. Ikhrata leads a staff of over 350 professionals who develop public policy initiatives for elected officials on numerous issues encompassing population growth, transportation, environmental management, economic development, municipal finance, binational coordination, and public safety. Mr. Ikhrata has more than 35 years of public and private sector transportation planning experience. As Chief Executive Officer of SANDAG, he directs day today operations of the agency and implements policies set by its Board of Directors. In addition, Mr. Ikhrata is the Chief Executive Officer of the SANDAG Service Bureau, the nonprofit public benefit corporation chartered by SANDAG. Mr. Ikhrata has received several awards and honors from various organizations and agencies including the American Society of Public Administration, Southern California Leadership Council, Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange County Business Council, League of California Cities, City of Los Angeles, State of California, Association of the San Bernardino County Special Districts, the Building Industry Association, regional chapters of the Women's Transportation Seminar, and numerous others.

Ian Clampett is the state and local government relations director for UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, one of the world's leading centers for global earth science research and education. As a native San Diegan, Ian grew up surfing at Scripps Pier before going on to receive his B.A. in Political Science from UC San Diego. Ian utilizes his passion and political proficiency to advocate on behalf of Scripps researchers working to understand and solve the world's most pressing environmental challenges.

In 2011, Ian began his career with then-Councilmember Kevin L. Faulconer where he advised on community issues and environment, water, and infrastructure policy. During the 2014 mayoral campaign, Ian used his bilingual ability to help Faulconer convey his priorities to Spanish-speaking media outlets and communities. Ian subsequently served on Mayor Faulconer's binational affairs team and worked to advance the Mayor's priorities of regional economic development, cross-border infrastructure, and environmental protection. He then held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director for Councilmember Chris Cate for nearly five years, overseeing legislative affairs and leading a team of policy advisors. During his tenure, Ian developed a comprehensive homelessness policy platform that helped expand safe parking zones for hundreds of San Diegans seeking access to permanent housing resources and critical social services.

Ian lives in Serra Mesa with his wife, three children, and a chocolate lab. In his spare time, he coaches Little League, laments about San Diego sports, and surfs every chance he gets.

As CEO of Industrial Environment Association, Mr. Monger represents approximately 55 regional manufacturing companies with over 55,000 employees. IEA promotes responsible, cost-effective environmental laws and regulations, and facilitates environmental compliance among members. IEA has the unique mission of promoting industry and protecting the environment.

Prior to joining the IEA, Jack Monger worked as a lobbyist and government/ public relations professional in San Diego for 23 years. Mr. Monger's clients included companies and organizations in the fields of healthcare, real estate development, airport and maritime operations, travel and tourism, and the U. S. Navy. Mr. Monger played a role in some of San Diego's most controversial public policy issues such as San Diego's switch to the Strong Mayor form of government, the development of Petco Park, and the establishment of the region's clean syringe exchange program.

Mr. Monger is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served on active duty for six years. Subsequent positions included:

• Sales engineer, Honeywell, Inc.
• Staff Representative, San Diego City Council
• Executive Director, City of Hope San Diego Regional Office
• Executive Director, San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum
• Vice Pres., Business and Community Relations, The Corky McMillin Companies

Jack is a past-President of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association and has served as a Board member for several organizations, including the San Diego Port Tenants Association, Community Health Improvement Partners, the East Village Association, and Ocean Connectors.

Mr. Monger resides in Coronado with his wife, Darby, where they raised their three daughters.

Jim has over 35 years of experience in a variety of roles in the Real Estate industry. Proficient in both Financial Management and Development, Jim has served as a Development Partner and executive for Legacy Partners, Del Mar Development, Trammell Crow Company and NMS Properties. In his career, he has sourced, entitled, financed and/or completed several thousand units in California. In addition, Jim was Chief Financial Officer for Bay Apartment Communities (predecessor to Avalon Bay), and Trammell Crow Company.

Jim earned his CPA while at Peat Marwick and Company and graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a BS in Accounting.

Jaymie Bradford leads the Chamber's strategy and vision as the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Jaymie oversees the Chamber's day-to-day operations, directs public policy initiatives, and develops and implements long-term goals and strategies to ensure the organization is striving for its vision to make the San Diego region the best place to live and work.

Jaymie joined the Chamber team in 2016 as Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Research. Prior to that role, she worked in the San Diego Mayor's office as Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Policy, managing a team that covered everything from intergovernmental and binational affairs to infrastructure, environmental and land-use policy for the city.

Jaymie has extensive experience in local government. She has worked in policy and public affairs for the City of San Diego for over a decade including for the office of Interim Mayor Todd Gloria and as Director of Intergovernmental Relations during Jerry Sanders' tenure as Mayor of San Diego.

Jaymie currently serves on the boards of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation, American Red Cross of San Diego & Imperial Counties, Downtown San Diego Partnership, Promises2Kids Advisory Council, and UC San Diego Chancellor's Community Advisory Board. While earning her degree in Political Science at UC San Diego, she was a member of the NCAA Women's Soccer team.

Jen Lebron is a native San Diegan who has dedicated her career to making her hometown a better place.

Lebron serves as the director of public affairs for San Diego Community Power, a local, not-for-profit, public agency that gives San Diegans the choice for clean, renewable energy at competitive rates. In that role, Lebron leads a growing team of communications, outreach and government affairs professionals for California's second-largest community choice aggregation program.

Lebron got her start as a reporter for the San Diego Daily Transcript, San Diego Union-Tribune and The Arizona Republic. She covered a variety of beats including government, politics, sustainability and public safety.

Lebron then made the pivot to public service where she worked as a communications official for the Port of San Diego.

Lebron later played several key roles in two City of San Diego mayoral administrations including press secretary, director of public safety and neighborhood services policy, LGBTQ+ liaison, and director of communications.

Jen currently volunteers on the San Diego LGBT Pride Board of Directors as its development chair.

Jerry Butkiewicz joined the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors in December 2016 representing the City of San Diego. Butkiewicz served as SDCWA Board Secretary from 2020-2022. He currently serves as Chair of the Legislation and Public Outreach Committee and sits on the Engineering and Operations Committee, and Labor Contract Work Group.
Butkiewicz has served as a Metropolitan Water District Board Delegate, and on the San Diego Greater Chamber of Commerce Board, Environmental Health Coalition Board, State Workforce Investment Board, and the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
His career highlights include serving as the former Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, as well as Workforce Readiness Manager for Sempra Energy.

Jerry Sanders began his lifelong career in public service when he joined the San Diego Police Department at the age of 22, fulfilling his dream of becoming a police officer. He ascended the police department ranks and became one of the youngest police chiefs in the city's history. As Chief, Jerry instituted a department-wide community policing model that earned nationwide recognition, spurring visits by chiefs from across the nation, as well as by the President of the United States. During his term as Chief, crime fell to record lows even as staffing remained low.

In 1999, Jerry retired as Chief of Police and became CEO of the United Way of San Diego County, where he reduced the organization's costs and increased fundraising by 20 percent. Three years later, he chaired the board of the local chapter of the American Red Cross. He increased financial transparency at the chapter and helped restore the nonprofit’s credibility.

Jerry had established a successful track record as a turnaround executive, and in 2005 San Diegans elected him Mayor with the goal of steering the city out of financial crisis. Throughout his two mayoral terms, Jerry led the city through a rebuilding and financial recovery, streamlining operations and repairing of long-neglected infrastructure projects.

In addition to his broad reform agenda, Jerry placed a high priority on economic growth and job creation during his time in office. He has carried this into his current position as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Through a focus on public policy and advocacy that supports business, Jerry has revitalized the Chamber establishing it as the region’s leading, most active business advocacy organization and the largest local chamber on the West Coast. Now in his ninth year leading the Chamber, Jerry guides the organization toward achieving its mission of making the San Diego region the best place to live and work by creating an environment where business can succeed and grow while creating jobs, empowering leaders, and enriching neighborhoods.

Jessica Ripper specializes in partnering with clients to promote systems change at the intersections of housing, health, and human services through research, stakeholder engagement, and organizational capacity building. She has 20 years of experience working with multidisciplinary teams to frame complex social issues in terms that move policymakers, community leaders, and the media to action. While at LDC, Ms. Ripper has guided multiple cities in Los Angeles
County through the development of local homelessness plans, helped prepare a permanent supportive housing strategy for the City of Riverside, and facilitated organizational assessments for a variety of nonprofit clients. Prior to joining LDC, she worked for the Annie E. Casey Foundation where she helped to develop a framework to guide public investment in evidence-based programs for children and youth. She has also held positions at Goodwill Industries International, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Walden Family Services, and has consulted for the County of San Diego Child Welfare Services and various nonprofit organizations. Ms. Ripper received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Language and Communications from American University and studied Communications and Leadership at Gonzaga University.

Job Nelson is Vice President of Strategy & Policy and oversees the Government & Civic Relations and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Departments. Job also oversees Policy, Energy and Strategic Planning for the Port. Nelson's previous roles at the Port were Chief Policy Strategist, Assistant Vice President of External Relations, and Director of Government and Civic Relations prior to that. Before joining the Port of San Diego, Nelson's comprehensive experience in public affairs included heading up intergovernmental relations for San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders; serving as deputy chief of staff for San Diego Mayor Susan Golding; serving as a policy consultant to the California Senate Minority Leader; and serving as chief of staff for a San Diego City Councilperson. In the private sector, Nelson worked in public affairs, university relations and strategic planning for Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and was a research analyst with local polling firm Competitive Edge Research. Nelson earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Point Loma Nazarene University and a master's degree in public policy from Claremont Graduate University.

Mr. Jose Lopez is currently the Vice President of the Otay Water District board. He is assigned to the Engineering, Operations, and Water Resources, Desalination, and Ad Hoc Legal Committees. Other professional affiliations he is assigned to are the OWD & Sweetwater Authority Task Force to Develop Recycled Water Opportunities, Water Conservation Garden Authority, and the South County Economic Development Council. In addition, Mr. Lopez retired as an Assistant Fire Marshal.

Since graduating with a Political Science Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California San Diego, Jose has specialized in constituent, legislative, and government affairs since 2019. Working for a California Senate Office under Senator Ben Hueso, Jose staffed important policy matters including transportation, technology, and climate, ultimately reaching the position of Legislative Director in 2021. Jose has operated as Sr. State Government Affairs analyst for the San Diego Association of Governments since 2022.

Kaitlin Chell is the Executive Director of State and Local Government & Community Relations at UC San Diego. In this role, she leads advocacy efforts for UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health focusing on academic and student affairs, the two medical centers, education, research, and business operations. Prior to UC San Diego, Kaitlin served as the Director of Federal Relations at UC Riverside where she worked with the Inland Empire congressional delegation to add more graduate medical education slots at the Veterans Health Administration to benefit UCR's new School of Medicine and secured funding for a biosafety-level 3 facility for citrus research.

Kaitlin also represented numerous universities, scientific societies, and scientific user facilities in Washington, D.C., at Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC and at the American Geophysical Union. She convinced Congress to fund a West Coast earthquake-early warning system and to re-start production of Plutonium-238 in order to provide much-needed fuel for NASA's planetary science missions. Kaitlin's experience representing a variety of organizations across the scientific and academic landscape, both in Washington, D.C. and in Sacramento, have provided her with a strong and diverse network across the scientific and education enterprises.

Kaitlin is a native San Diegan who graduated cum laude with a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish from Randolph-Macon Woman's College and she holds an M.S. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from The Johns Hopkins University.

Katie serves as Executive Director, Marketing & Events for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. She is responsible for strategic planning, marketing and overall production of Chamber events. Katie has produced events for the Chamber and partner organizations that range from small workshops or meetings to large dinners, golf tournaments, receptions and multi-day delegation trips in Sacramento, Washington D.C. and Mexico City. A native San Diegan, Katie is knowledgeable in new and old venues and vendors, which help in keeping events fresh, unique and relevant. Her notable accomplishments include creative execution in shifting to virtual and hybrid events, profitable budget and contract management, and improving the event experience and staff efficiency with mobile event applications.
Prior to joining the Chamber in 2006, Katie interned at the Asian Business Association of San Diego where she assisted in events, marketing and membership development. Katie graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in Communications and Minor in Economics. She previously served on the Board for the San Diego Chapter of the International Live Events Association as Vice President of Communications. She currently serves on the Board and the Resource Development and Emerging Leaders Committees for Episcopal Community Services.

Kenia Zamarripa joined the San Diego Regional Chamber in June 2017 and currently serves as Executive Director of International Business Affairs. In this role, Kenia is responsible for facilitating business, political, and cultural relationships across the regional business community and advocating for business-friendly legislation that encourages cross-border trade and an improved binational business climate. In support of this, she leads the Chamber's team in the organization and coordination of an annual binational delegation trip to Mexico City to promote cross-border advocacy, and quarterly International Business Forums that provide business leaders the essential knowledge and resources needed to thrive within the binational marketplace. Kenia acquired her BA in Marketing Administration from CETYS Universidad in Tijuana, Mexico in 2009. In 2015, she completed her MSc in Global Marketing Management from the University of Liverpool, UK. In 2017, she also received her PG Certificate in Human Resources from the University of Liverpool, UK. Kenia holds positions on various community and binational organizations including as a member of the Executive Committee of the City of San Diego.

Lani Lutar is president of Responsible Solutions, LLC, a public affairs firm specializing in advocacy, coalition building and government relations. She has more than 20 years of experience in public policy analysis, business development, strategic marketing and media relations.

Prior to establishing Responsible Solutions, Lutar led three respected local non-profit organizations as CEO/Executive Director over a period of ten years: San Diego County Taxpayers Association, Equinox Center and the Asian Business Association of San Diego.

Lutar serves on the board of directors of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and North County Economic Development Corporation. She is also a member of the advisory boards for the Pacific Arts Movement and Asian Business Association of San Diego.

She earned a Master of Pacific International Affairs degree from the University of California, San Diego and graduated magna cum laude from San Diego State University with a BA in Psychology.

Laura Fernandez is the Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for San Diego Community Power. Prior to her role with SDCP, Laura served as outside counsel while working for Braun Blaising & Wynne (BB&W). Laura joined BB&W in 2015 while concurrently attending the University of California, Davis School of Law. While working for BB&W, Laura provided legal regulatory services to numerous Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs in California. In that role, she worked to further the interests of the CCAs, including those related to transportation electrification and energy efficiency programs. Laura also provided legal and regulatory services to the California Municipal Utilities Association, as well as to a coalition of California's smallest publicly owned electric utilities. Laura provided advocacy and reporting services on matters before the California Air Resources Board, California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the California Independent System Operator. Laura is a member of the State Bar of California. She holds a Juris Doctor from UC Davis School of Law as well as a BA in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Policy and a minor in Environmental Studies from UC San Diego.

Lidia recently retired after 30 years of service to Southwest Airlines. She served in the Marketing and Communications departments in Dallas, Chicago, and San Diego. In recognition of her service to the state of California and the San Diego region, Lidia has received various proclamations from the California Assembly, the City of San Diego, and her member of Congress.

Lidia continues to mentor leaders across the country, especially women in the nonprofit world and emerging leaders. She continues to pay it forward by being involved with a variety of organizations dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of For All of Us, The San Diego State University (SDSU) The Campanile Foundation, and Latino Leaders Network, a national organization based in DC. Lidia is on the SDSU President's Latino Advisory Council, the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Chancellor's Community Advisory Board, the San Diego Center for Children CEO Advisory Council, and The San Diego Community Foundation's COVID-19 Community Response Fund Leadership Council Executive Committee. Lidia was recently invited to chair the San Diego Unified School District's Schools Naming Committee. She also co-chairs MANA de San Diego's Leadership Advisory Council and serves as a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisor for CLASSY. She also takes great pride in serving as Special Advisor to the CEO of Promises2Kids and as an intentional funds development advisor for MAAC.

Lori Holt Pfeiler has a passion for helping others and is passionate about housing. Everyone needs a decent and affordable home. In July 2021, Lori took the helm of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County as President & Chief Executive Officer. She expects to raise the conversation such that everyone understands housing is a problem for all of us together. Previously, Lori served as President & CEO of San Diego Habitat for Humanity for nine years; guiding Habitat in providing a hand up to families that might not otherwise have the opportunity to have a home to call their own.

Lori has demonstrated true commitment to San Diego with over 25 years of community involvement. Elected to the Council of the City of Escondido in 1992, she continued her service as Mayor there for three terms. She has been widely praised for her regional leadership, especially for her expertise in transportation and housing issues, serving as Chair of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) from 2008 to 2010, and as Associate Vice President of the Regional Vision Initiative of the San Diego Foundation, where she directed the process to create a 50-to 100-year strategic vision and action plan encompassing the shared values and priorities of all residents of the San Diego region.

Dr. Margaret Leinen is the Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Vice Chancellor for Marine Science of University of California at San Diego. She is an ocean biogeochemist and paleoceanographer whose research includes study of ocean carbon cycling and the role of the oceans in climate. Leinen is currently co-chair for the Decade Advisory Board for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. During 2017 and 2018 Leinen was a US Department of State Science Envoy for the oceans to Latin America and the Pacific. She served as Assistant Director for Geosciences, U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) from 2000-2007. She has also served as the President of the American Geophysical Union, President of The Oceanography Society and Chair of the AAAS Section on Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science. She is a Fellow of all three societies and an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Mark Robak is a Commercial Broker and is currently the Otay Water District's Board President. He is also the Chair for the District's Engineering, Operations, and Water Resources, Desalination Project, and Ad Hoc Salt Creek Golf Course Lease and Property Disposition Committees. He also sits on the Conservation/Public Relations/Legal/Legislative Committee. Other professional affiliations that Mr. Robak is assigned to are: the California Special District Association - State and County, Association of California Water Agencies, ACWA-JPIA, Water Reuse Association, San Diego Area Wastewater Management District, South County Economic Development Council, and the Otay Water District & Sweetwater Authority Task Force to Develop Recycled Water Opportunities.

Mark B. Reed, PhD is currently the Associate Vice President for Research Operations in the Division of Research and Innovation at San Diego State University. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Reed served as the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Health and Human Services. Dr. Reed's research focuses on alcohol use etiology and prevention, Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment approaches to alcohol misuse, as well as issues pertaining to faculty diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is currently a PI (MPI) of the SDSU FUERTE program, which was funded through the NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) program. The goal of the FIRST program is to increase and sustain inclusive excellence in biomedical research. Dr. Reed is also a founding faculty member in the SDSU/UCSD Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use doctoral program in the School of Social Work and is a Professor of Public Health. He is well-published in top substance use/public health journals and has secured more than $11M in funding as a PI or MPI and more than $2M as a Co-Investigator. Dr. Reed is a past-President of the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB) as well as the past Co-Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research. Dr. Reed is also the recipient of the 2020 SDSU Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Faculty Contributions to the University and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior.

Marshall Anderson is a Partner in the San Diego office of California Strategies LLC. where he brings a wide breadth of public affairs experience, including land use, public safety, and mobility policy, as well as non-profit support, and campaign management. Before joining California Strategies LLC., Marshall served as Vice President of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a 501c6 nonprofit organization that supports development and stimulates economic growth in San Diego’s urban core. Prior to the Downtown Partnership, Anderson worked at the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors as a policy aide handling a variety of subjects including land use, environment, and grants administration. In addition, Marshall acted as the Director of City Council Affairs for the Mayor of the City of San Diego where he was tasked with facilitating working relationships with the nine councilmembers and their staff. Marshall is an active civic volunteer, serving on the City of San Diego's Mission Bay Park Committee, Committee on Downtown Homelessness, Downtown Parks Committee, and the Pacific Beach Town Council. He also chairs the Downtown Planning and Public Policy Committee and previously served as Board Vice President of the San Diego Small Business Alliance (BID Alliance), California Downtown Association Board of Directors, Board of Library Commissioners, and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Young Leaders Board.

Matthew Awbrey is a civic leader, writer, and co-founder and principal of Matter Strategies, a strategic communications and public affairs firm focused on telling stories that matter. It helps public agencies, non-profits, C-level executives, public officials, and private organizations bring substance and meaning to their public relations.

He previously led external affairs for the mayor of San Diego and oversaw communications for the City of San Diego, a $3.8 billion municipal corporation with over eleven thousand employees. He has served in various roles including chief of external affairs, chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, policy director, community representative, and legislative independent audit consultant. A seasoned speechwriter and award-winning creative voice, Matt’s work has been featured in news outlets across the country, including The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox News, Politico, Business Insider, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, and San Diego Union-Tribune.

Matthew C. Boomhower, Esq., AIA is the founder and president of Southern Cross Property Consultants (SCPC) a construction management and land-use consulting firm based in San Diego. Matthew is a California licensed Architect with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Tennessee. Matthew holds a license as an Attorney in California and received his Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law. In addition to his work with SCPC, he maintains a boutique law practice at Boomhower Law, APC where he focuses on land-use and construction law and serves as outside counsel to closely held businesses.

In 2023 Matthew was reappointed to a second four-year term on the City of San Diego Planning Commission. He currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce's Transportation & Land Development policy sub-committee. Matthew teaches as an adjunct faculty member at the University of California, San Diego, Urban Studies and Planning Department on courses in real estate development and land-use.

As Chief of Staff, Meg Storer brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the fields of government affairs, public relations, communications, and marketing. Meg joined 211 San Diego in 2003 and is responsible for helping the agency build upon its social entrepreneurship vision, create a positive public reputation, and ensure proper positioning and messaging for 211 throughout the community, both locally, statewide, and nationally.

Meg serves as the agency's keystone by providing guidance to 211's Executive Team and Senior Staff. Overseeing the External Affairs team that includes government affairs, public relations, and philanthropy, Meg is pivotal in raising awareness of 211 and its programs among key community leaders to generate support and partnerships that forward its mission. Her ability to navigate the political landscape has led 211 to gain strong relationships with multiple municipalities and political entities building support for 211's services including 211's veteran and military work and disaster response function, working closely with first responders to streamline services for San Diegans in times of disaster.

Prior to 211, Meg simultaneously served as both the State Government Affairs Coordinator and Communications Coordinator for American Forest & Paper Association in Washington, D.C., gaining public affairs experience in federal and state functions. She has extensive experience serving in a leadership role at a state and national level including 211 California Board of Directors to support critical legislation for statewide coverage of 211, has served as the Vice-Chair of the California Alliance of Information and Referral Systems and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems. Today she serves on the board of Vets Community Connections, Zero8Hundred, San Diego Veterans Coalition, Champions for Health, and the Economic Development Corporation Foundation.

Meg received recognition from the San Diego Business Journals as Business Woman of the Year in 2020, the San Diego Metro Magazine's 40 Under 40 for 2016, and has been recognized as the Anne Arundel County's Annapolis High School Wall of Fame awardee, a recognition designed to inspire young leaders to strive for excellence as they head into the future. She has a Masters of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and a minor in Ethnic Studies from Shippensburg University. She is a graduate of the North County Leadership Class and an alumnae of Fieldstone Emerging Leaders Class. She resides in North County San Diego with her two sons.

Megan Costello has spent 15+ years building and scaling client success and account management teams in venture-backed, high-growth SaaS companies. Her experience spans companies developing data collection, analytics, and language processing solutions across four diverse sectors - health care (CodeRyte, now part of 3M), social media (Crimson Hexagon, now part of BrandWatch), education (Panorama Education), and nonprofits/philanthropy (UpMetrics). Prior to her work in startups, Megan worked in consulting and was an English teacher in rural Japan.

Meggan Valencia joined the Water Authority in March 2022 as the Government Relations Manager. Valencia brings over 15 years of experience in the water industry, including directing the work of state and federal lobbyists, developing legislative strategic plans, and managing communication and outreach programs.

In her role at the Water Authority, Valencia manages advocacy interests in local, state, and federal issues, serves as a legislative advocate, and provides support to the Board of Directors and General Manager staff on legislative issues.

Prior to joining the Water Authority, Valencia supported the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association and the Center for Water Education. Most recently she served as the Government Affairs Manager for Rancho California Water District, where she successfully advocated for $60 million in funding for her district. Valencia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Long Beach.

Mitch Mitchell is senior vice president and chief legislative officer for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas &Electric (SDG&E). He oversees state legislative activities and advances the California utilities' strategic policy objectives.

Mitchell has held various senior executive roles at Sempra, SoCalGas, and SDG&E.

He was Sempra's senior vice president, diversity, and community partnerships. In this role, he advanced the company's high-performance culture by leading a collective effort to enhance diversity and inclusion within Sempra, its operating companies, and the communities it serves. Mitchell also previously served as vice president of state governmental and external affairs for SoCalGas and SDG&E.

Prior to his work with Sempra's California utilities, Mitchell served in a variety of roles in governmental affairs and community relations for the City of San Diego, labor, and business entities.

Mitchell holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Redlands. He serves on the boards of the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, San Diego Housing Commission, and Sharp Hospital Board of Trustees.

Monica Negrete is the Marking and Events Specialist for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Neil Mohr is General Manager with Republic Services and is responsible for the operations, safety, and environmental compliance of their post collection facilities in San Diego County. Neil oversees landfill operations at three facilities, including construction & demolition material recycling, organic waste composting, aggregate recycling, a transfer station, and landfill gas to energy projects that produce renewable power for the region. The San Diego facilities were a privatization project that Republic Services coordinated with the County of San Diego. Neil has a Civil & Environmental Engineering Degree from Pennsylvania State University and has over 30 years of experience in the environmental industry.

Neil is Past Board Chair of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Neil is active in the San Diego community including supporting the Downtown San Diego Partnership, the San Diego River Foundation, I Love a Clean San Diego, and the Industrial Environmental Association. He is a Board Member of the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation.

Paul is Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego County Medical Society, the professional association for physicians in San Diego. Founded in 1870, SDCMS currently counts over 4,600 physicians and medical students as members. SDCMS - Physicians United for a Healthy San Diego -  fights for access to quality healthcare for all San Diegans.

Paul joined SDCMS after five and a half years with the California Medical Association (CMA), where he served in the roles of lobbyist, vice president of political affairs, membership, marketing, and communications. During his tenure, CMA reversed a 20-year trend of declining membership, posting a 15% membership growth and the largest total membership in the history of the association.

Hegyi serves on the Executive Committee of Champions for Health, a 501c3 subsidiary of the San Diego County Medical Society dedicated to improving community health and supporting physician volunteerism. He is also a member of board of San Diego Health Connect, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Policy and Health committees, the San Diego Lincoln Club, and the County of San Diego's Health Services Advisory Board.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Paul grew up in Sacramento, California. He received his MBA from the University of Southern California where he graduated with honors. He holds a bachelors of arts in government from California State University, Sacramento. Paul helped create a course in the Business of Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, which he continues to teach along with two physicians.

Paul Redfern is a Certified Public Accountant specializing in management accounting, business accounting, and auditing. Prior to becoming a public accountant, Paul was the Chief Financial Officer of a successful, web hosting company, Precision Web Hosting, Inc.. As a CPA, he has obtained significant experience performing audits and consulting services.

Paul is also an award-winning speaker. He has spoken to diverse groups on a range of topics, such as the fundamentals of starting a business, establishing a SMART business plan, business taxes as well as a number of humorous speeches. He has won accolades for his ability to make technical business topics entertaining and engaging. Paul is a regular speaker at the Small Business Development Center of North San Diego County, and has been a speaker at a number of comedy fundraisers. Paul has lead 211 in building critical financial protocols and procedures to ensure proper budget management while also serving staff by offering strategic planning and mentorship.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas and an Award in Accounting from UCLA. He currently serves as treasurer at Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church, board member of The Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas and a board member of the Community Resource Center in Encinitas.

Rachel Gregg joined San Diego State University in 2017 as the Community Relations Manager. In that position, she worked to strengthen the relationships between SDSU and the communities surrounding our campus. Rachel now serves as the Senior Director of Government and Community Relations. She acts as the liaison between SDSU and its San Diego delegation and the surrounding community that the university is a part of. Additionally, she works with Associated Students, the university's student-government organization, to help improve student and community relations. Rachel serves on the Board of Directors for the College Area Business District and the local non-profit, SBCS.

Before SDSU, Rachel worked for nearly 10 years in the California State Legislature; here she became active in many of the diverse communities in and around San Diego County. Rachel cultivated relationships with elected officials, staff, and community leaders. She began her career in former State Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny's district office, she was Communications Director for Assemblymember Mary Salas, and most recently, she was a Senior Field Representative for Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins.

Rachel is a third-generation native San Diegan and a proud alumna of SDSU, earning her BA in Political Science in 2006.

Rafael Castellanos was sworn in to the Board of Port Commissioners on April 15, 2013, after appointment by the San Diego City Council. He is the chair of the Port's Environmental Advisory Committee. Commissioner Castellanos is also a partner with the law firm Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP in San Diego, where he specializes in commercial real estate and business transactional law. His professional affiliations include service on the Board of Directors of MANA de San Diego, the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association, and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation. Commissioner Castellanos is a member of the California State Bar Association, the San Diego County Bar Association, the Mexican American Business and Professional Association, and the San Diego Foundation's Business Forum on Climate Change. He was named one of the San Diego Daily Transcript's Top Young Attorneys in 2008, and in 2011 was named one of San Diego Metro Magazine's 20 Men Who Impact San Diego. Commissioner Castellanos graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and he earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School as a Cornerstone Scholar.

Ryan Darsey, a San Diego native, possesses an extensive background in local politics, accumulating over two decades of experience. Throughout his career, he has dedicated his efforts to various candidates and causes close to his heart. As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Ryan's passion for advocacy and advancing the rights of his community is unwavering.

Presently, Ryan holds the significant position of Director of Community Engagement for San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn. In this influential role, he leads the community team and spearheads initiatives concerning labor, mobility, and LGBTQ+ issues on behalf of the office. With his expertise and commitment, Ryan actively leads the charge in fostering community relationships and driving positive change.

Ryan Maxson is a government relations professional with nearly two decades of experience managing policy and political issues at all levels of government. In his current role, Ryan is the lead government relations staff representative for all federal, state and local priorities at California State University San Marcos.

Ryan's previous roles included serving as a legislative aide for a high-ranking Member of Congress, managing advocacy programs for a leading higher education provider and serving as the senior government and public affairs professional for the largest trade association in San Diego County. He is skilled in nonprofit organization, lobbying, grassroots management, and strategic communications and planning.

Ryan earned a bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University's Seaver College and a Master's in Business Administration from Pepperdine University's George L. Graziadio School of Business and Management.

As senior vice president and region manager of the West Region for Cox Communications, Sam Attisha oversees operations across Cox's West Region, including Arizona, California, Idaho and Nevada.

Attisha serves on the management council and the board of directors for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (SDRCC), the board of directors for the CalBroadband, and board of directors' and audit chair for The Monarch School Project.

Sanjay is an eternal optimist with a passion for solving problems and helping people. After two decades in the corporate world in some of the largest companies (40K employees), fast growing startups (10X in 10 years) and working in multiple countries (US, Korea, Sri Lanka), he was ready for a new challenge. Becoming a dad during the pandemic also helped clarify his priorities. He started his own company, Good Neighbor Consulting and partnered with Schooley Mitchell, the largest independent cost reduction company in North America and together they're helping businesses improve profitability through cost reduction. Sanjay has an MBA from the University of San Diego and has been living in San Diego for the last 15 years with his wife Erin and 2-year old son.

Scott Suckow is an affiliated partner with VPI Strategies, where he specializes in strategic alliances and alliance development, community building, government relations, association management, event development and execution, program design, strategic planning, non-profit mergers, executive coaching and fund development. Current Projects Through VPI Strategies includes:

Provides executive management services, serving as the Executive Director, to the Liver Coalition of San Diego (www.livercoalition.org). They are a local organization formed by medical specialists, transplant surgeons, patients, and caregivers to promote liver health and meet the needs of those affected by liver disease in San Diego County.

Serves as a senior consultant for Perry Communications Group (www.perrycom.com), working with patient advocates to address policy issues that impact access to care and treatment. Perry Communications Group is an independent, full-service strategic communications firm specializing in public relations and public affairs.

As a first-generation American and self-described latchkey kid from Boston, Sidd has come a long way literally and figuratively to most recently being named one of the San Diego Business Journal's 2022 CEO's of the Year. From Boston to Washington, DC, and now San Diego, his cross-country career has focused on thinking globally and acting locally to help build thriving, inclusive local communities.

As President & CEO of Junior Achievement of San Diego County, Sidd and his team are focused on social mobility and workforce development for underrepresented young people of all ages using experiential skill development and social capital to better understand business, money, and future career opportunities. Through programs across San Diego County and in their interactive 25,000-square-foot facility, JA San Diego empowers tomorrow's leaders today.

Sophie Barnhorst is the Government & Community Relations Manager for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Sophie previously worked for San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo as the Economic Development & Intergovernmental Relations Committee Consultant. Prior to that, Sophie held the same position for San Diego City Councilmember Chris Cate. Before joining the City of San Diego, Sophie worked on the policy team for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce for five years. Sophie is a native San Diegan and graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a degree in Politics. She enjoys traveling, yoga, trying new restaurants, and exploring all that San Diego has to offer. Sophie lives in Hillcrest with her husband Arjun and their cat Coob.

Stefanie Benvenuto is a seasoned public affairs and policy professional currently serving as the Vice President of Pacific Public Affairs. In this role, she services clients in the San Diego region by leveraging her diverse network to help businesses and non-profits reach their goals locally.
Prior to joining Pacific, Stefanie was the Vice President of Public Affairs at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she elevated the policy work and coalition building of the largest local Chamber on the West Coast.
Stefanie has held a variety of civic and volunteer roles, including Chair of the San Diego Housing Commission where she was appointed by both the Faulconer and Gloria administrations, and is currently serving on the Sharp Memorial Hospital Board. She was recognized by the San Diego Metro as a 40 under 40 in 2017, and later honored by Senator Pro Tem Toni Atkins and then-Assemblymember Todd Gloria as a Woman of Distinction.

Steve Clark has held several credit administration and leadership positions in the Financial Services industry for the past 25 years. He is currently a Group Director for Flagstar Bank in San Diego. Steve has been an adjunct professor for several Universities in San Diego and the East Coast since 2009.

Tana Lorah joined Snake Oil Cocktail Company in 2023 as the Chief Operating Officer. Tana brings strong expertise in government relations, community engagement, and communications strategies to serve her clients in the Southern California region.

Prior to joining Snake Oil Cocktail Company, Ms.Lorah served as a vice president and public affairs strategist with Clay Co as well as a variety of public affairs leadership roles for more than a decade at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego and Los Angeles with primary responsibility for government, community affairs, community health initiatives, and external communications. Over her career, she has successfully supported projects at the local, state, and federal level, including more recently health policy, hospital construction planning, and land use projects.

Ms. Lorah is currently serving as secretary of the board of directors for the San Diego Regional EDC Foundation and as a board member of 211 San Diego. She served for three terms on the Kearny Mesa Planning Group until 2021. Ms. Lorah lives in the city of San Diego with her family and a tiny coterie of rescued pets.

Community Advocate Terri Colachis has over 30 years of strategic marketing and communications experience in the hospitality industry. Ms. Colachis currently serves on the 211 San Diego Board of Directors, also serving on the 211 Fundraising, Public Relations, and Outreach Committees. Ms. Colachis is also currently serving on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Regional Center (Past Board Chair) as well as for the Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA) (Past President). Ms. Colachis previously served on the Board of Directors for Promises to Kids, TERI (Training Education & Research Institute) Inc, and North County San Diego (NCSD) Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ms. Colachis served as the Owner and Principal at ARC Consultants, a consulting firm offering strategic marketing and operational consulting services to the hospitality, golf, and real estate industries. Prior to ARC Consultants, Ms. Colachis served as Principal and Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Cobblestone Golf Group. Ms. Colachis helped to grow the start-up golf company from four local golf properties to over 56 private, semi-private, and public golf properties in the United States, ultimately becoming the third-largest golf ownership company in the country. Ms. Colachis also served as the Director of Marketing and Communications at JC Resorts, managing all marketing and communications for the four resort and five golf course properties in the company portfolio. Ms. Colachis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Missouri Columbia. Ms. Colachis is passionately dedicated to advocating for developmentally disabled children.

Tim Fraser joined Health Center Partners of Southern California as Vice President of Government Affairs where he leads all county, state and federal advocacy on behalf of the organization. HCP SoCal serves as the primary voice and health care policy advocate for community health centers that serve the health needs of communities throughout Southern California. Prior to joining HCP SoCal, Tim worked as Director of Government and Community Affairs at Family Health Centers of San Diego, one of the largest nonprofit health care clinics in the nation.
Previously, Mr. Fraser spent three years as Organizing and Acting Executive Director for Creative America, an entertainment industry nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about the impact illegal downloading has on the entertainment industry and global economy.
Before relocating to the West Coast, Mr. Fraser called Washington D.C. home. In 2009, Mr. Fraser was appointed by President Barack Obama as the Director of the Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Stop.Think.Connect., a Schedule C Political Appointment. This position led a nationwide awareness and education effort increasing the public's understanding of cyber threats and empowered individuals to be more secure online.

Early in his career, Mr. Fraser held a number of roles in national and statewide political campaigns. He currently resides in downtown San Diego with his wife, Amy.

Tony Young is a highly experienced community leader with over three decades of government and programmatic expertise in San Diego County. He currently serves as Interim CEO of the San Diego Workforce Partnership where he drives strategic efforts to address the evolving needs of the local labor market and expand workforce development programs.

Tony brings a deep understanding of pressing issues in and around San Diego County and how they intersect with resident challenges and aspirations as they pertain to workforce, training and talent. He began his career as an educator and AVID Coordinator with the San Diego Unified School District. After a decade of service, Tony expanded his reach when he was elected to the San Diego City Council. He was the first President Pro Tempore of the San Diego City Council, eventually becoming its first African American President.

In 2013, Tony became the CEO of the American Red Cross in San Diego County. In this role, he directed a $12.7M fundraising campaign to address fire safety in vulnerable wildfires regions. In 2014, Tony founded both Civic Link Strategies, a public affairs firm, and RISE San Diego, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing urban leadership through civic engagement to effect meaningful community change.

Tony earned a degree in socioeconomics from Howard University, teaching credentials from the University of San Diego and completed the Executive Education program at Harvard Kennedy School.

Tonya Torosian is the Chief Executive Officer of Promises2Kids, a 41-year-old non-profit founded as the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation. Best known for building the Polinsky Children's Center, Promises2Kids is dedicated to creating a brighter future for foster children.

Torosian's work in child welfare and nonprofit management spans 30 years and three states. She developed programs and policies for child and youth-based organizations in Illinois, Arizona and California. A tireless advocate for children and youth throughout her entire career, Torosian began her career first as a social worker, then as an executive charged with developing strategic alliances and implementing processes, systems, and policies.

Promises2Kids exists to create better lives for children who are in foster care due to abuse or neglect. Promises2Kids is dedicated to helping these children realize the promise of a brighter future and enjoy childhood experiences all children should have. Through its unique services and programs, Promises2Kids responds to the diverse needs of San Diego's foster children of all ages, promoting positive lifelong skills they will carry through adulthood.

Since its founding, Promises2Kids has raised $25 million for the care of abused children in San Diego County and provided services to more than 200,000 children. Promises2Kids changes lives for foster children through its core programs: The Polinsky Children's Center, Camp Connect, Guardian Scholars and its Foster Funds. This important work could not be done without the support of our generous individual, community, and corporate donors.

Chief of Staff for the City of San Diego - District 8.

Victoria Barba has held a variety of roles in high profile campaigns and brings a network of relationships and deep well of knowledge of the mechanisms of local politics, coalition building, and community outreach and engagement to her role at Brownstein.

She has directed fundraising, volunteer outreach and field operations for multiple campaigns in San Diego County and has experience working with elected officials at all levels. Victoria has advised or worked on issues related to community projects, city budgets and program funding, youth outreach and internal communications during her time in city government.

Prior to joining the firm, Victoria served as the director of community outreach for three years in the Office of Councilmember David Alvarez and simultaneously served as the director of volunteer outreach and fundraising for Vivian Moreno's successful campaign for city council in 2018. Victoria also interned in the offices of two Congressional members representing the San Diego region, her first internship beginning her last year of high school and continuing throughout her time at University of California San Diego.

As First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once stated, "For your own success to be real, it must contribute to the success of others‚" and Councilmember Vivian Moreno embodies this philosophy as she has dedicated her career to improving the region's most underserved communities through experience, volunteer work and public service. She was elected to represent the City of San Diego's Eighth City Council District in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Councilmember Moreno currently serves as Chair of the City of San Diego's Land Use & Housing Committee and is a member of the Audit Committee, the Budget and Government Efficiency Committee and the Rules Committee. She also serves on the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System Board, the Metropolitan Transit System Budget Development Committee, the Otay Valley Regional Park Policy Committee, SANDAG Bayshore Bikeway Working Group, SANDAG Borders Committee, SANDAG Transportation Committee, and Chairs the Otay Mesa Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Public Financing Authority. Councilmember Moreno's priorities include ensuring that the residents of District Eight receive the equitable services and resources they need for a better quality of life, including the building of more housing for our working families, repairing our streets and roads, ensuring safe routes to school, advocating for more parks and libraries for our youth and promoting initiatives that bring jobs to the District. With a strong passion towards the advancement of youth and Latinas in San Diego, the Councilmember has served on the boards of community-focused organizations, including Border View Family YMCA and MANA de San Diego.

Wade Aschbrenner is the External Affair Officer for Altus Schools. The mission of Altus Schools is to bring a quality educational option to all students with the philosophy to put kids first through a personalized approach to education. Wade is responsible for facilitating external communications and community outreach for Altus Schools. He is beginning his 15th year at Altus Schools and has over 25 years of educational experience. He works closely with charter school operators, community organizations, and local elected officials to maximize the positive impact of charter schools in the San Diego region and to ensure that all students and families have access to high quality school options. In 2021 he was named the Government Affairs volunteer of the Year by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.
He currently serves as Vice-President of Alumni Engagement for the San Diego State Alumni Board and Secretary for the Rotary Club of La Jolla. He is a member of a of numerous organizations in the San Diego Region that support kids and families, those include the San Diego for Every Child, and Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Education Committee.

Bill Mayer, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer for Sudberry Properties, is responsible for day-to-day operations, providing support for acquisitions and development, and managing all legal issues, including the selection and oversight of outside counsel. Prior to joining Sudberry Properties in 2017, Mayer was the Chief Legal Officer for McKinney Capita & Advisory in the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Africa. His responsibilities included overseeing the legal aspects of financial analysis, leasing, portfolio analysis, asset management, hospitality management, franchise, acquisitions and dispositions. Previously, for more than 14 years, Mayer was the Vice President and General Counsel for D.R. Horton’s West Region, consisting of 10 Divisions in eight states and more than 2,000 full-time employees. Mayer was one of the first attorneys at D.R. Horton, which is largest homebuilder in the country. He helped D.R. Horton manage its historic market expansion from 2002 to 2008, weather the historic downturn from 2008 to 2012, and rebuild following the recession. During his tenure, he helped convert homes sales to an online function, integrated acquisitions, created an eight-member legal team, developed sales and marketing documentation, warranties and disclosures, created an integrated system for contracting, and resolved hundreds of lawsuits. Mayer earned a Juris Doctor degree at the California Western School of Law in San Diego and a bachelor’s in Government, Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Museum of Man since 2009, including two terms as Chair. He is currently serving as General Counsel. He has been involved in the successful reopening of the California Tower to the public, the selection of Micah Parzen as CEO, and the positioning of the museum as one of the premier museums of Cultural Anthropology in the world.

Councilmember Stephen Whitburn represents San Diego City Council District 3, which includes the neighborhoods of Downtown, Little Italy, Bankers Hill/Park West, Middletown, Mission Hills, Mission Valley, Hillcrest, University Heights, North Park, Balboa Park, South Park, and Golden Hill. 

He serves on several communities and outside organizations. He is Chair of the City’s Audit Committee, and a member of the Land Use and Housing Committee, and the Community and Neighborhood Services Committee.  

He also serves as Chair of the MTS Board of Directors, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission, and member of the SANDAG Regional Planning Committee. He is also a member of the League of Cities Executive Committee, and the Regional Task Force on the Homeless Continuum of Care Advisory Board. Addressing the City’s homelessness and affordable housing crises are top priorities for the Councilmember, along with ensuring a just and equitable recovery from the pandemic, and a more sustainable future for San Diegans. 

Councilmember Whitburn has lived and been involved in the communities of District 3 for two decades. An award-winning nonprofit leader, he has helped sick and injured San Diegans at the American Red Cross, worked to advance equality for the LGBTQ community, and led a staff of twenty at the American Cancer Society which coordinated charitable efforts for cancer patients and their families across Southern California. 

The Councilmember’s volunteer work has also included serving on advisory panels for the City and County of San Diego, the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation Board of Directors, the Greater San Diego Business Association Advocacy Committee, and as Vice-Chair of the North Park Planning Committee. 

Councilmember Whitburn is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and earned a Leadership Certificate from the Center for Executive Development at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management.