Governing Board

The Governing Board of the Authority is comprised of local elected officials and oversees the management and funding allocations of the Authority. Information on Governing Board meetings can be found here: http://sfbayrestore.org/meetings.

John grew up in Richmond and earned a BA in Political Science and a law degree at U.C. Berkeley.

He was first elected to the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors in 1998 and has been overwhelmingly re-elected five times and represents 210,000 residents along San Francisco Bay in the western most urban and diverse area of the county.  He previously served for 10 years on the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board, serving as President in 1995 and 1996.

John is a recognized leader in Bay Area regional government and on air quality and climate change issues.  He was appointed by Governor Brown in 2013 to the California Air Resources Board and has served on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board since 2006, serving as Chair in 2012.

John served as President of the California State Association of Counties and has been a leader on environmental issues and serves on the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and as Vice-Chair of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority where he helped lead an effort to pass an historic measure to raise $500 million for S.F. Bay.

John helped found the RYSE Center, an innovative and popular youth center in Richmond, which is grounded on principles of social justice and youth development. He is currently working with non-profit Urban Tilth to develop an urban educational farm in North Richmond.

Princess Washington is a dynamic community leader, artist, and advocate for progress in Solano County. Currently serving on the Suisun City Council, she has also held the role of Mayor Pro Tem for two consecutive years. Ms. Washington is a Board Member of the California League of Cities African American Caucus, where she contributes to statewide leadership and advocacy initiatives.
Her dedication to community welfare is evident through her position as Vice Chair of The Salvation Army of Solano County Advisory Board, where she supports programs aimed at improving lives. She is also deeply involved in environmental and sustainability efforts as Chair of the Solano County Sierra Club and a Board Member of Sustainable Solano, championing eco-friendly practices and policies.
In addition, Ms. Washington serves as Community Services Director on the Board of Directors for the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary Club, actively supporting service projects that uplift the community. Her exceptional contributions have been widely recognized, earning her the titles of Rotarian of the Year (2022-2023) from the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary Club and Woman of the Year (2023) from Congressman Garamendi.
Professionally, Ms. Washington serves as People and Culture Manager for Greenbelt Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering climate resilience and sustainable land use across all nine counties of the Bay Area.
Ms. Washington's commitment to service extends to her faith community, where she is a member of the Knights of Peter Claver’s Ladies Auxiliary, the largest Black Catholic organization in the world. Her multifaceted leadership and passion continue to make a lasting impact on the communities she serves

Karen Holman, Vice President of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors, has been active in the community for many years, including a long public record of environmental stewardship. She was a member of both Acterra and the City of Palo Alto Zero Waste Task Forces and has had roles in neighborhood associations and numerous non-profit organizations. In Palo Alto over the last 17 years she served as mayor, city councilmember, and planning commissioner. In 2013-14, Karen co-chaired the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Advisory Committee, contributing to the creation of the District’s Vision Plan.

Born and raised in Missouri, Karen has lived in Palo Alto since 1975. Karen had a long career in graphic design before pursuing work in the conservation and historic preservation field, including serving as Executive Director of the Palo Alto History Museum. She holds a B.A. in graphic arts from the University of Arkansas.

A fifth generation Napan, rural resident, and scientist, Amber brings a unique skillset to local governance. Since the 2010s, she has been a strong advocate for sustainable natural resource management in Napa County, serving on the Groundwater Sustainability Plan Advisory Committee and as Board Secretary for Protect Rural Napa, a local nonprofit. Amber's professional background includes work in natural resources management and sustainable transportation. 

Amber earned her doctorate in Geography from UC Davis in 2014, specializing in land use change, mapping, and plant ecology. Her postdoctoral research at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences focused on floodplain management and California state agency responses to the 2012–2016 drought. When she's not making maps or reading, Amber enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time with her family.

A Berkeley civic leader, small business owner, and pioneer of progressive digital politics, Brent Blackaby was elected to the Berkeley City Council in November 2024 to take action on our most pressing challenges – including crime & public safety, streets & transportation, affordable housing, wildfire safety, school safety, and homelessness. 

Brent brings a fresh perspective – informed by years of practical problem-solving experience, relationship building, and a can-do attitude – to get things done for the people of Berkeley.

Brent and his partner, Larry Huynh, have lived in District 6 for the past 20 years. Their two children attend our local public school, Cragmont Elementary, where Brent chaired the School Site Council. He co-founded Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS), an organization working to improve campus security at every Berkeley school, and was appointed by the Superintendent to serve on the Berkeley School District’s safety committee. Brent also served on the Berkeley Police Accountability Board, where he provided citizen oversight of the Berkeley Police Department.

Brent has co-founded two Berkeley businesses, including Trilogy Interactive – a pioneering digital communications company that has helped elect dozens of progressive leaders to the U.S. Senate and House, including Senators Barbara Boxer and Elizabeth Warren, and fight for statewide ballot initiatives to defend marriage equality, improve our schools, and protect the environment. Brent also founded and currently leads Confidently, a consumer privacy company that helps people take back control of their personal data across the internet.

Brent spends his “free” time refereeing his kids’ soccer games and as an alumni interviewer for Berkeley-area high school seniors applying to Harvard.

Danielle Cwirko-Godycki (pronounced like Sphere-Ko-Go-Dit-Ski) experienced firsthand the devastating impacts of city-wide flooding on New Year’s 2023. This event inspired her to take action to protect and enhance the lives of citizens across San Mateo, particularly in District 4. She launched and now leads the Shoreview-Parkside Neighborhood Association and Flood Free San Mateo, while also serving on the San Mateo Neighborhood Watch Board. Through these roles, she has gained insight into the urgent needs of the community.
 

A lifelong resident of San Mateo, Danielle was born and raised in the city and has lived in the Village and Shoreview neighborhoods for most of her life. She attended Fiesta Gardens International School, which ignited her passion for Spanish language learning—a pursuit she continued through college. Danielle also attended Bayside Academy and Aragon High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Riverside. She has had the privilege of connecting with diverse individuals from all walks of life in District 4, who share a desire for strong representation on the City Council. Danielle looks forward to serving the residents of San Mateo in 2025 and beyond.

Supervisor Lisa Gauthier was elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in November 2024. She represents District 4, which includes the cities of Redwood City, East Palo Alto, the areas within Menlo Park east of El Camino Real and including the Belle Haven neighborhood, and the unincorporated community of North Fair Oaks.

Inspired by her daughter, Supervisor Gauthier began her journey into public service in 2012 when she was elected to the East Palo Alto City Council. She has held the positions of Vice Mayor in 2014, 2018, and 2022, and Mayor in 2015, 2019, and 2023. During her tenure, she led the city through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and major storms. Her leadership during these crises is among her proudest achievements.

In addition to her roles in city government, Supervisor Gauthier served as the Senior Vice President of Inclusion & Belonging at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. In this capacity, she leads policy areas including Workforce/Education, Racial Justice & Equity, and Healthcare.

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