LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Professor Deborah Merrill-Sands, Glenn and Ellen Voyles Chair in Business Education, Dean of the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business, and Professor of Business Practice - Mills College
Professor Sands assumed her role at Mills in 2010, following six years as dean of the Simmons College School of Management in Boston and received national recognition for its executive development programs for women. She is an authority on women and leadership and gender dynamics in the workplace. More recently her work has focused on the areas of ethics, corporate responsibility, and sustainability. Prior to joining the Simmons School of Management, Merrill-Sands worked with the World Bank, the Ford Foundation, and the United Nations, working on increasing the role of women in science, and led international teams to address the livelihood of rural poor women and families in developing countries.
Larry A. Rosenthal, JD, MPP, PhD, Assistant Adjunct Professor of Public Policy
UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy; Program Director, Center on Civility & Democratic Engagement; Resident Faculty, Institute for the Study of Societal Issues
Rosenthal’s current research focuses on municipal fiscal distress, civic engagement and participatory budgeting, the intersection between population aging and housing need, and land-use regulatory impacts, among other topics. At GSPP Rosenthal has taught law and public policy, quantitative methods, introductory and advanced policy analysis, housing and the urban economy, cities and their citizens, and seminars on policy practice and public-private-nonprofit collaboration.
Professor Sands assumed her role at Mills in 2010, following six years as dean of the Simmons College School of Management in Boston and received national recognition for its executive development programs for women. She is an authority on women and leadership and gender dynamics in the workplace. More recently her work has focused on the areas of ethics, corporate responsibility, and sustainability. Prior to joining the Simmons School of Management, Merrill-Sands worked with the World Bank, the Ford Foundation, and the United Nations, working on increasing the role of women in science, and led international teams to address the livelihood of rural poor women and families in developing countries.
Larry A. Rosenthal, JD, MPP, PhD, Assistant Adjunct Professor of Public Policy
UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy; Program Director, Center on Civility & Democratic Engagement; Resident Faculty, Institute for the Study of Societal Issues
Rosenthal’s current research focuses on municipal fiscal distress, civic engagement and participatory budgeting, the intersection between population aging and housing need, and land-use regulatory impacts, among other topics. At GSPP Rosenthal has taught law and public policy, quantitative methods, introductory and advanced policy analysis, housing and the urban economy, cities and their citizens, and seminars on policy practice and public-private-nonprofit collaboration.
ARTS & CULTURE
Sherry L. Goodman, Director of Education and Academic Relations
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives – BAM/PFA
For twenty-five years, Sherry has headed BAMPFA's Education Department. She organizes a wide range of public programs complementing virtually all the museum's exhibitions, trains student tour guides and teaches in the galleries, and oversees staff responsible for campus collaborations and for school and family programs.
While living in New York, she taught at Vassar College and at NY MoMA, and wrote audioguide scripts at the Metropolitan Museum. Since moving to the Bay Area, she has taught American art at the Fine Arts Museums of SF and for the Oakland Museum's docent program. In 2007, she received Fulbright funding to teach American art in the International Studies Program at Hanoi University.
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives – BAM/PFA
For twenty-five years, Sherry has headed BAMPFA's Education Department. She organizes a wide range of public programs complementing virtually all the museum's exhibitions, trains student tour guides and teaches in the galleries, and oversees staff responsible for campus collaborations and for school and family programs.
While living in New York, she taught at Vassar College and at NY MoMA, and wrote audioguide scripts at the Metropolitan Museum. Since moving to the Bay Area, she has taught American art at the Fine Arts Museums of SF and for the Oakland Museum's docent program. In 2007, she received Fulbright funding to teach American art in the International Studies Program at Hanoi University.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Chadrick Smalley, Economic Development and Housing Manager, City of Emeryville
In his current role, Chad oversees the Economic Development and Housing (EDH) division of the Community Development Department. EDH’s areas of work are diverse and include economic development, labor standards enforcement, affordable housing, public art, brownfield remediation, transportation grants and capital project funding and implementation. Prior to working with Emeryville, Chad was the Capital Projects Manager with the City of Richmond and managed a portfolio of transportation and redevelopment projects while guiding the Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency through the dissolution process. Prior to working with Richmond, Chad held planning and economic development related positions with various jurisdictions, including the City of South San Francisco, Solano County, and Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
Jordan Klein, Economic Development Manager, City of Berkeley
Jordan Klein is an economic and community development planner with fifteen years of experience in support of communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently he works as Economic Development Manager for the City of Berkeley, where he oversees Berkeley’s programs and activities related to small business development, commercial district revitalization, facilitating catalytic real estate projects, civic arts, and economic research and analysis. Previously, at the City of San Francisco’s Office of Economic & Workforce Development, Jordan led the design and implementation of a variety of community development programs, and was the lead author of the City’s economic development plan for the Mid-Market neighborhood. Jordan also worked as a Program Officer at United Way of the Bay Area, where he managed a portfolio of grants to human services agencies around the region. Jordan has a BA in History from Northwestern University and Master of City Planning degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
In his current role, Chad oversees the Economic Development and Housing (EDH) division of the Community Development Department. EDH’s areas of work are diverse and include economic development, labor standards enforcement, affordable housing, public art, brownfield remediation, transportation grants and capital project funding and implementation. Prior to working with Emeryville, Chad was the Capital Projects Manager with the City of Richmond and managed a portfolio of transportation and redevelopment projects while guiding the Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency through the dissolution process. Prior to working with Richmond, Chad held planning and economic development related positions with various jurisdictions, including the City of South San Francisco, Solano County, and Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
Jordan Klein, Economic Development Manager, City of Berkeley
Jordan Klein is an economic and community development planner with fifteen years of experience in support of communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently he works as Economic Development Manager for the City of Berkeley, where he oversees Berkeley’s programs and activities related to small business development, commercial district revitalization, facilitating catalytic real estate projects, civic arts, and economic research and analysis. Previously, at the City of San Francisco’s Office of Economic & Workforce Development, Jordan led the design and implementation of a variety of community development programs, and was the lead author of the City’s economic development plan for the Mid-Market neighborhood. Jordan also worked as a Program Officer at United Way of the Bay Area, where he managed a portfolio of grants to human services agencies around the region. Jordan has a BA in History from Northwestern University and Master of City Planning degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
EDUCATION
Rubén Lizardo, Director of Local Government and Community Relations, UC Berkeley
As Director of Local Government and Community Relations, Rubén is the liaison between the Campus the City of Berkeley, Richmond and other cities in the East Bay. Ruben also plays a leadership role in supporting local and regional campus-community partnerships across the East Bay and greater Bay Area.
Tanya Moore, PhD, Education & Youth Specialist, City of Berkeley
Tanya Moore, a native of Berkeley, CA, received her doctorate training in the field of Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to attending UC Berkeley, Dr. Moore obtained a BS degree in Mathematics from Spelman College and a Masters in Science and Engineering from the Mathematical Sciences Department at The Johns Hopkins University. She works with City departments, Berkeley Unified School District, UC Berkeley and community organizations on joint initiatives to close the academic achievement gap that persists in Berkeley's public schools.
As Director of Local Government and Community Relations, Rubén is the liaison between the Campus the City of Berkeley, Richmond and other cities in the East Bay. Ruben also plays a leadership role in supporting local and regional campus-community partnerships across the East Bay and greater Bay Area.
Tanya Moore, PhD, Education & Youth Specialist, City of Berkeley
Tanya Moore, a native of Berkeley, CA, received her doctorate training in the field of Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to attending UC Berkeley, Dr. Moore obtained a BS degree in Mathematics from Spelman College and a Masters in Science and Engineering from the Mathematical Sciences Department at The Johns Hopkins University. She works with City departments, Berkeley Unified School District, UC Berkeley and community organizations on joint initiatives to close the academic achievement gap that persists in Berkeley's public schools.
GOVERNMENT
Jessie Arreguin, Mayor of the City of Berkeley
From 2008 to 2016, Mayor Arreguin served two terms as a Berkeley City Council member representing City Council District 4. He helped increase the city's minimum wage to $15, co-wrote the Downtown Area Plan, pass the Affordable Housing Mitigation Fee, used to build affordable housing, create police reform after Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and worked to save the historic Main Post Office. He is the first Latino and youngest person to serve as the mayor of Berkeley. Jesse has described himself as an "unapologetic progressive," and has said he wants to "restore Berkeley to the forefront of progressive leadership on the environment and social justice."
He was born in Fresno, California, and grew up in San Francisco. His parents and grandparents were farmworkers. At age 9, Jesse became involved in the ultimately successful campaign to change the name of Army Street to Cesar Chavez Street in the historically Latino Mission District of San Francisco and continued to be involved in efforts against to reverse the name change in 1995. Mayor Arreguín was the first in his family to attend college and attended UC Berkeley, where he served as the City Affairs Director for the Associated Students and was elected to the Berkeley Rent Stabilization board in 2004, serving as chair through 2008.
Sophie Hahn, Berkeley City Council, District 5
As an elected member of the Berkeley City Council, I represent Berkeley's 5th District, including the lower North Berkeley hills, the Thousand Oaks neighborhood, Solano Avenue, Northbrae, North Shattuck and Live Oak Park. In addition to being one of the most beautiful areas of Berkeley, District 5 is home to many renown artists, activists, thought leaders, writers, teachers, lawyers, scientists, chefs and academics, as well as families, retired folks and other amazing, accomplished and generous community members. It is a privilege to serve this District, and all the people and institutions that make Berkeley such an exceptional place to live, learn, work and play.
From 2008 to 2016, Mayor Arreguin served two terms as a Berkeley City Council member representing City Council District 4. He helped increase the city's minimum wage to $15, co-wrote the Downtown Area Plan, pass the Affordable Housing Mitigation Fee, used to build affordable housing, create police reform after Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and worked to save the historic Main Post Office. He is the first Latino and youngest person to serve as the mayor of Berkeley. Jesse has described himself as an "unapologetic progressive," and has said he wants to "restore Berkeley to the forefront of progressive leadership on the environment and social justice."
He was born in Fresno, California, and grew up in San Francisco. His parents and grandparents were farmworkers. At age 9, Jesse became involved in the ultimately successful campaign to change the name of Army Street to Cesar Chavez Street in the historically Latino Mission District of San Francisco and continued to be involved in efforts against to reverse the name change in 1995. Mayor Arreguín was the first in his family to attend college and attended UC Berkeley, where he served as the City Affairs Director for the Associated Students and was elected to the Berkeley Rent Stabilization board in 2004, serving as chair through 2008.
Sophie Hahn, Berkeley City Council, District 5
As an elected member of the Berkeley City Council, I represent Berkeley's 5th District, including the lower North Berkeley hills, the Thousand Oaks neighborhood, Solano Avenue, Northbrae, North Shattuck and Live Oak Park. In addition to being one of the most beautiful areas of Berkeley, District 5 is home to many renown artists, activists, thought leaders, writers, teachers, lawyers, scientists, chefs and academics, as well as families, retired folks and other amazing, accomplished and generous community members. It is a privilege to serve this District, and all the people and institutions that make Berkeley such an exceptional place to live, learn, work and play.
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Donald Frazier, Executive Director, Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS)
For more than twenty years, Donald Frazier has demonstrated exceptional executive leadership in the nonprofit sector, specializing in fund and program development, contracts and compliance, quality management, public relations and legislative affairs, with considerable experience in strategic business and program development. Donald’s passion is to promote socio-economic and educational advancement as essential components to sustain communities. He believes it is important to not only recognize the underlying structural causes of poverty, human rights violations, and social injustice, but each individual must stand in truth and join as a collective to continue the never-ending fight to right these wrongs.
Dr. Lisa Hernandez, Health Officer, City of Berkeley
Dr. Hernandez began serving as Berkeley’s Health Office in February 2018. Previous positions include Deputy Health Officer for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Health Officer/Medical Services Director for the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health degree in the field of Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley
For more than twenty years, Donald Frazier has demonstrated exceptional executive leadership in the nonprofit sector, specializing in fund and program development, contracts and compliance, quality management, public relations and legislative affairs, with considerable experience in strategic business and program development. Donald’s passion is to promote socio-economic and educational advancement as essential components to sustain communities. He believes it is important to not only recognize the underlying structural causes of poverty, human rights violations, and social injustice, but each individual must stand in truth and join as a collective to continue the never-ending fight to right these wrongs.
Dr. Lisa Hernandez, Health Officer, City of Berkeley
Dr. Hernandez began serving as Berkeley’s Health Office in February 2018. Previous positions include Deputy Health Officer for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Health Officer/Medical Services Director for the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health degree in the field of Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley
"A benefit of the LEB program was to look at
the issue of homelessness from every angle possible."
LAW & SOCIAL JUSTICE
Ty Alper, Clincial Professor of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law, Death Penalty Clinic
Ty trains and supervises law students in the representation of indigent clients facing execution in multiple jurisdictions, primarily in the Deep South. Before joining the faculty at Berkeley Law, he worked as a staff attorney at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta where he represented Alabama and Georgia death row inmates in all stages of state and federal post-conviction proceedings and hundreds of Alabama prisoners in federal class-action litigation concerning unconstitutional conditions of confinement. Alper previously served as an E. Barrett Prettyman Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center's Criminal Justice Clinic, where he received an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy. He is a member of the California, District of Columbia, Georgia and Alabama bar. He has also published widely on capital punishment and criminal justice issues. A former law clerk to Chief Judge Harry T. Edwards on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Alper served as senior articles editor of the New York University Law Review. Alper received an "Angel Award" from California Lawyer in recognition of his "fierce commitment to pro bono cases." Ty is a native of Berkeley, California and he was recently elected to the Berkeley School Board.
Tunisia M. Owens, Policy Manager, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Tunisia M. Owens is a passionate advocate on issues of Black Economic Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion, Criminal Justice Reform, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth, and Education Equity.
She is originally from Oakland, California and has served the public at non-profit organizations and government agencies in the Bay Area. She returned to Oakland after a career as a diplomat proudly representing the United States in Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
She graduated from Spelman College in Political Science and Economics, holds a joint Master’s degree from Princeton University in Public Policy and Urban/Regional Planning, and obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Ty trains and supervises law students in the representation of indigent clients facing execution in multiple jurisdictions, primarily in the Deep South. Before joining the faculty at Berkeley Law, he worked as a staff attorney at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta where he represented Alabama and Georgia death row inmates in all stages of state and federal post-conviction proceedings and hundreds of Alabama prisoners in federal class-action litigation concerning unconstitutional conditions of confinement. Alper previously served as an E. Barrett Prettyman Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center's Criminal Justice Clinic, where he received an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy. He is a member of the California, District of Columbia, Georgia and Alabama bar. He has also published widely on capital punishment and criminal justice issues. A former law clerk to Chief Judge Harry T. Edwards on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Alper served as senior articles editor of the New York University Law Review. Alper received an "Angel Award" from California Lawyer in recognition of his "fierce commitment to pro bono cases." Ty is a native of Berkeley, California and he was recently elected to the Berkeley School Board.
Tunisia M. Owens, Policy Manager, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Tunisia M. Owens is a passionate advocate on issues of Black Economic Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion, Criminal Justice Reform, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth, and Education Equity.
She is originally from Oakland, California and has served the public at non-profit organizations and government agencies in the Bay Area. She returned to Oakland after a career as a diplomat proudly representing the United States in Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
She graduated from Spelman College in Political Science and Economics, holds a joint Master’s degree from Princeton University in Public Policy and Urban/Regional Planning, and obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
MEDIA
Lance Knobel, Co-founder of Berkeleyside
Berkeleyside is California’s only online newspaper. Lance also curates Uncharted: The Berkeley Festival of Ideas, which Berkeleyside launched in 2013. In 2001-02, he was Adviser, Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, London, Tony Blair's Downing Street think tank that examined medium- and long-range strategic issues. Lance was involved in work on science and technology policy, energy security and speculative work examining truly long-range challenges for the UK. From 1992-2000 he was Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, World Link, the magazine of the World Economic Forum. In addition to his responsibilities for World Link, in 1999-2000 he was Director of the Programme of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Jennifer Coats, BPD Public Information Officer, Berkeley Police Department
Jennifer Coats has been an officer with the department for 15 years and since 1998, served as a member of the operations division until her appointment as spokesperson in 2012, when she replaced Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. The Public Information Officer (PIO) serves as the primary contact for BPD information and responds to inquiries made by the news media and the community regarding crimes and incidents of interest. The PIO is on call for significant events that may generate increased community or media attention.
Berkeleyside is California’s only online newspaper. Lance also curates Uncharted: The Berkeley Festival of Ideas, which Berkeleyside launched in 2013. In 2001-02, he was Adviser, Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, London, Tony Blair's Downing Street think tank that examined medium- and long-range strategic issues. Lance was involved in work on science and technology policy, energy security and speculative work examining truly long-range challenges for the UK. From 1992-2000 he was Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, World Link, the magazine of the World Economic Forum. In addition to his responsibilities for World Link, in 1999-2000 he was Director of the Programme of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Jennifer Coats, BPD Public Information Officer, Berkeley Police Department
Jennifer Coats has been an officer with the department for 15 years and since 1998, served as a member of the operations division until her appointment as spokesperson in 2012, when she replaced Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. The Public Information Officer (PIO) serves as the primary contact for BPD information and responds to inquiries made by the news media and the community regarding crimes and incidents of interest. The PIO is on call for significant events that may generate increased community or media attention.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Don Medley, Head of Government and Community Relations, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Don serves as the Lab's chief public policy advisor and as the senior liaison to the United States Congress and the Administration. He also directs the State and Community Government staff. His tenure on Capitol Hill with U.S. Congressman Tom Bevill (D-AL), long-time chair of the House of Representatives Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee (HEWD) and his twelve years at Berkeley Lab has given him in-depth knowledge of the federal appropriations process, the Department of Energy and the role of the federal government in supporting the nation's science and innovation ecosystem. Don received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Alabama where he was awarded the Algernon-Sydney Sullivan Award, the university's highest honor. He received his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Robin Johnston, Deputy of the Innovation and Partnerships Office
Lawrence Berkeley Lab
Robin Johnston plans and executes strategy for industry partnerships, intellectual property management, licensing, and entrepreneurship training. In her previous role as Director of Commercialization for the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a DOE Lab-University consortium for developing cellulosic advanced biofuels, she executed a strategic plan for technology transfer and partnerships that resulted in JBEI exceeding the top three US universities in inventions and licenses, per funding dollar. At JBEI she facilitated venture formation and developed and negotiated partnership and licensing deals with Total Gas and Oil, Bridgestone, Abengoa, POET, COFCO, and Braskem, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. Robin also created the Lab’s Cleantech to Market (C2M) program, which was adopted by the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. C2M is a partnership between students, researchers, and energy professionals to translate clean tech research into market opportunities. Robin earned a Masters degree in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from George Washington University and degree in Chemistry from the University of Virginia.
Don serves as the Lab's chief public policy advisor and as the senior liaison to the United States Congress and the Administration. He also directs the State and Community Government staff. His tenure on Capitol Hill with U.S. Congressman Tom Bevill (D-AL), long-time chair of the House of Representatives Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee (HEWD) and his twelve years at Berkeley Lab has given him in-depth knowledge of the federal appropriations process, the Department of Energy and the role of the federal government in supporting the nation's science and innovation ecosystem. Don received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Alabama where he was awarded the Algernon-Sydney Sullivan Award, the university's highest honor. He received his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Robin Johnston, Deputy of the Innovation and Partnerships Office
Lawrence Berkeley Lab
Robin Johnston plans and executes strategy for industry partnerships, intellectual property management, licensing, and entrepreneurship training. In her previous role as Director of Commercialization for the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a DOE Lab-University consortium for developing cellulosic advanced biofuels, she executed a strategic plan for technology transfer and partnerships that resulted in JBEI exceeding the top three US universities in inventions and licenses, per funding dollar. At JBEI she facilitated venture formation and developed and negotiated partnership and licensing deals with Total Gas and Oil, Bridgestone, Abengoa, POET, COFCO, and Braskem, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. Robin also created the Lab’s Cleantech to Market (C2M) program, which was adopted by the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. C2M is a partnership between students, researchers, and energy professionals to translate clean tech research into market opportunities. Robin earned a Masters degree in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from George Washington University and degree in Chemistry from the University of Virginia.