San Francisco 49ers Vice President and Executive Director of Community Relations, Joanne Pasternack, discussed the team’s philanthropic engagement in Silicon Valley. The 49ers Foundation supports programs for underserved youth to keep them “Safe, On Track, and in School.” In 2015 it contributed $4 million to nonprofits, including City Year San Jose, the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute. Since its inception in…

Members joined us to hear Interim Chief of Police Toney Chaplin's plans for the San Francisco Police Department and its duty to serve and protect the city’s public realm. Chief Chaplin voiced the importance of reform in light of our civic and national conversation about police, violence and racism in America.

Members heard from two of the key transportation and infrastructure leaders in the Bay Area, Chris Lytle, head of the Port of Oakland, and Bryant L. Francis, the port's new director of aviation. Lytle is leading the port through a period of change. His vision for this critical public entity will affect the region's economic sustainability for generations to come. Francis brings more than a decade…

Mayor Ed Lee promised to get 6,000 people off the streets during his term. Just last month, Jeff Kositsky made the commitment to achieve that goal when he was appointed director of the city's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Join us on June 14th as Jeff discusses his role in the newly created department dedicated to tackling the city's longtime struggle with homelessness.

Following an 8-year career with the San Jose Police Department, Councilmember Raul Peralez was elected to represent San Jose City Council's District 3. Peralez is committed to restoring the police department and improving public safety. Peralez has jumped right in, prioritizing the economic vitality of downtown, addressing homelessness, planning for Diridon Station's future as a transit mecca, and working to rebuild the strained relationships between…

A keen understanding of the factors driving income inequality and institutional distrust are essential to leadership in a divided world. Join Ravi Moorthy, Managing Director of Edelman’s Bay Area Corporate & Public Affairs team as he presents the results of Edelman’s 2016 Trust Barometer and explores the widening trust gap between the elite and mass populations, and what it means for those who work, innovate and…

In response to growing concerns about housing affordability, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has unveiled a plan to protect 17,000 existing affordable homes and apartments and build at least 17,000 new ones over the next eight years. Join Assistant City Administrator, Claudia Cappio for a discussion of the proactive solutions Oakland is proposing to meet its housing challenges head on.

In Silicon Valley, traffic has never been worse, transit never more crowded. Join us as Nuria Fernandez, head of the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority, speaks to the challenges and opportunities of moving people in, around and through the valley—and shares VTA’s visions for tackling those changes.

Phil Matier and Andy Ross join us for their annual update on all things political in San Francisco and beyond. How are the results of the recent elections playing out across the Bay Area? What big political forces will shape 2016? Join us for a great conversation, but don't come empty handed--Matier and Ross will talk until our questions run out.

In the wake of the dissolution of redevelopment agencies around California, developers and others have searched for creative ways to finance affordable housing and other economic development investments. Join SPUR for a deeper look at Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts (EIFDs) and learn how this tool could shape private and public investments in Oakland and elsewhere. We will hear from Joshua Simon, Executive Director of the…