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18th Annual Spring Symposium
May 29 @ 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm PDT
FreeGet ready for our 18th Annual Spring Symposium!
From 2:00pm-4:00pm, tune in to our virtual speaking program to hear housing experts from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors explore solutions to jumpstart housing production across our region and state.
Following our virtual program, join us for an afterparty at 111 Minna Gallery in Downtown San Francisco from 4:30pm-7:00pm to raise a glass, celebrate, and share ideas with the pro-housing community.
Interested in becoming a Spring Symposium sponsor? Learn about our event sponsorship benefits here
Meet Our Symposium Speakers:
Sarah Karlinsky | Research Director, UC Berkeley Terner Center
Sarah Karlinsky is the Research Director at the Terner Center where she leads the development of the center’s research agenda. Prior to joining the Terner Center, Sarah worked at SPUR, a leading Bay Area urban policy think tank, where she held numerous positions, including that of Deputy Director, Senior Advisor and Research Director. Sarah has published on a wide variety of topics including housing governance, middle-income housing, long-range planning for housing affordability, historic preservation and the intersection between disaster resilience and housing policy.
Erin Baldassari | Housing Affordability Reporter, KQED
Erin Baldassari is the editor of the housing affordability desk at KQED. She’s a former print journalist and most recently worked as the transportation reporter for the Mercury News and East Bay Times. There, she focused on how the Bay Area’s housing shortage has changed the way people move around the region. She also served on the East Bay Times’ 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning team for coverage of the Ghost Ship Fire in Oakland.
Prior to that, Erin worked as a breaking news and general assignment reporter for a variety of outlets in the Bay Area and the greater Boston area.
Myrna Melgar | District 7 Supervisor, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Myrna Melgar is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors overseeing District 7 which includes West Portal, the Inner Sunset, and Twin Peaks. As Chair of the Land Use and Transportation Committee, Supervisor Melgar has championed common sense housing reform to make way for the next generation of San Franciscans. From passing a compliant Housing Element to crafting the Family Housing Opportunity Special Use District, Supervisor Melgar is leading the conversation on housing affordability, feasibility, and process in San Francisco.
Supervisor Melgar lives in San Franicsco’s Ingleside neighborhood where she enjoys biking with her husband and three daughters.
Jay Bradshaw | Nor Cal Carpenters Union, Executive Officer
Jay is the Executive Officer of the Nor Cal Carpenters Union, having been elected to a four year term in August of 2021. He represents 38,000 members from 22 Local Unions. As Executive Officer, Jay sets the union’s the political agenda, builds employer relations, oversees organizing efforts, negotiates collective bargaining agreements, and trains journeylevel and apprentice tradespeople.
Cyrus Sanandaji, Founder and Managing Director, Presidio Bay
K. Cyrus Sanandaji serves as the Managing Principal and Founder of Presidio Bay Ventures. Since founding Presidio Bay in 2012, Cyrus has been actively involved in all aspects of the company’s operations, overseeing strategic planning, business development, fundraising, capital markets and team building. Most recently, Cyrus was responsible for the delivery of Springline, a 6.4-acre mixed-use development in Silicon Valley’s Menlo Park.
Presidio Bay’s pipeline includes ground-up office developments, advanced life science projects, and high-profile mixed-use developments.