October 2007
Volume VII, Issue X.
The JOURNEY
a publication of the
Coro Center for Civic Leadership
Announce your success stories through the Coro Journey:
If you, or an alumnus/alumna that you know, has a great story that could be featured in the alumni spotlight, please contact Katie Koski.
Share your news with us:
Are you a Coro Alum with a new job? New spouse? New baby? Please share your news by emailing to Tracey Jones.
Announce your Job Opportunities through the Coro Journey:
If you have a job, volunteer opportunity or other opening that you want to announce to the Coro Community, please send an email to Katie Koski no later than November 9, 2007.
Support Coro Center for Civic Leadership
Support Coro Today!
We appreciate your contributions. Your support allows us to deliver the best leadership development programs anywhere. Click on the icon to the left to make a contribution by check or credit card.
Contact Patrick O'Heffernan if you are interested in contributing securities or other financial instruments, real estate or would like to make a planned gift.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Coro Center UpdatesExploring Leadership “Exploring” Expansion
Since the inception almost a decade ago, Coro’s Exploring Leadership (EL) program for high school youth has been a resounding success. EL has had very strong participant outcomes, the enthusiasm of program participants, the strong endorsement of school communities, and the rave reviews of the youths’ internship sponsors. The question has always been not whether to expand EL, but when. Coro is now exploring whether expansion can be carried out in time for the beginning of the program in the Summer of 2008.
This expansion would be both quantitative and qualitative: we would double the number of high school juniors served from 36 to 72 and, to enhance program impact, extend the length of the program from five months to a full year experience. If carried out, this expansion will address the significant needs of the diverse communities the program serves and deepen Coro’s impact in training a new generation of leaders.
If you are interested in supporting or learning more about this exciting endeavor, please contact Jeff Sosnaud, Coro Executive Director, at 415.986.0521, ext. 101, or jsosnaud@coro.org
The San Francisco Youth Fellows at their retreat this past summer demonstrating the “leap” that the Exploring Leadership Program is about to take Innovation Week Advisory Council Formed
The Innovation Week Advisory Council, IWAC, has been formed by Coro to guide the development and support of Innovation Week for the Fellows Program in Public Affairs. Innovation Week, a new addition to the program occurring this coming February, will provide the Fellows with an intensive tutorial on the technology and culture of Silicon Valley. During the Week, the Fellows will meet with a variety of Silicon Valley leaders in order to understand the role that innovation and technology is playing in redefining civic engagement.
Steve Poizner, California State Insurance Commissioner and former Silicon Valley executive, and Coro Board members Gary Fazzino of Hewlett Packard and Luis Buhler of First Rain Corporation, have agreed to serve on the Council. Other leaders in California innovation are being invited. The group will continue in its advisory role after Innovation Week to guide Coro on including innovation components in its programming.
The Journey on your screen right now is our primary tool for communicating with you, our alumni and friends. We’ve incorporated some stylistic changes to make it less cluttered and more user-friendly. And we’re adding some new features, such as this month’s Alumni Spotlight on Phillip Kilbridge, Fellows Class of 1998 and Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity San Francisco. In upcoming issues, look for more alumni information, as well as new features on our donors and field faculty. Let us know what you think by contacting Katie Koski, kkoski@coro.org, or sending your comments to our new Coro blog (see below).
Check out Coro San Francisco’s New Blog!
Coro San Francisco now has a blog! We’ve recently launched a new Coro San Francisco blog aimed at creating a forum for the Coro community to discuss current issues and to provide alumni with an opportunity to connect and network. In the coming months, we hope to post discussion topics on the blog that will also be featured in the Journey.
We invite the Coro community to explore our new blog and we hope you'll add your own thoughts and opinions about the posted subject. Simply go to http://COROCENTERBLOG.blogspot.com and post your comments. The topic featured on the blog will also be listed in the Journey in the Coro Dialogue section. If you’re interested in helping manage the blog or have discussion topic ideas, please contact Katie Koski.
Coro Welcomes a New Staff Member
Please join us in welcoming the newest member of our staff:
Matt Bissinger, an experienced development officer, has joined the Coro team as a long-term, contracted grant writer. Previously he worked with Lamda Legal, the Smuin Ballet, and the San Francisco Performances in their Artists in the Schools Program. In addition, he was a development officer for the Merola Opera Program, a training program for young artists. He also served as a development consultant to the Oakland Youth Chorus and the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center.
David Kirp has just published his latest book, The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics. Professor Kirp is on the faculty of the Goldman School of Public Policy at U.C. Berkeley.
Lucia Choi-Dalton and Laura Heffron met with First Lady Laura Bush at the National Parks Foundation Summit held in Austin, Texas earlier this month.
From left to right: Laura Heffron, First Lady Laura Bush and Lucia Choi-Dalton at the National Parks Foundation Summit
Program News:Fellows Program in Public Affairs
Coro Fellows Tackle Environmental Issues
Kirstin Conti, Coro Fellow, making a presentation at BCDC Kirstin Conti, 2007-08 Coro Fellow:
"My government placement was with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (also known as BCDC). BCDC is the regulatory agency that manages and protects the Bay waters. For my project I was asked to assess the feasibility and impact of placing a dam across the mouth of the Bay in order to produce tidal energy and prevent sea level rise due to climate change.
To complete my project, I conducted interviews with people from the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, California Coastal Commission, URS Corporation, and several other agencies. In the end, I composed a staff report and gave a formal presentation detailing my findings.
BCDC is a forward-thinking agency. This catalyzed my project because sea level rise is a problem the Bay will face in the future. I believe my project gave BCDC a stepping stone for addressing the complex issues associated with adapting to sea level rise. Additionally, it gave BCDC the tools to deal with a proposed dam project.
During my placement, I discovered that government agencies can have a communal nature. BCDC often works with other organizations to formulate and enforce their policies. Consequently, I saw how cooperation between government agencies can often yield positive results. I grew from this experience not only because of the challenges my project posed but also because of the many people and perspectives I encountered along the way. Working with BCDC was a wonderful opportunity and I am grateful for my experience there."
Will Travis, E.D. of BCDC with Kirstin Conti Will Travis, Executive Director, BCDC:
"The Reber plan was proposed in the 1940s. It took the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Congress several years and several million dollars to determine that it was infeasible. In just four short weeks, costing us only a few hundred dollars, Kirstin studied a similar proposal for a dam across the Golden Gate and came to the same conclusion."
Brenda Goeden, Dredging Program Manager, BCDC:
What were the most important benefits of your experience hosting a Coro Fellow?
"Getting to know a wonderful, bright fellow. Having someone take on a short project that other staff members would not be able to tackle so quickly due to work load was of great benefit to our organization."
Geoff Willard making a presentation at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Geoff Willard, 2007-08 Coro Fellow:
"During my government placement, I worked in the office of Government Relations at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. My project was to take part in the development of several ‘green’ legislative proposals that the Commission will present to City Hall for review and approval. One of the proposals offers an inventive approach to solving what is currently a municipal headache. Fats, oils and grease (FOG) produced in restaurant kitchens are currently treated as waste byproducts and often discarded into sewers, where they create costly clogs. I helped design and formulate the FOG Ordinance, which will keep grease out of sewers and will enable the city to reprocess the FOG into Biodiesel, fueling city vehicles and decreasing San Francisco’s dependency on fossil fuels. I really enjoyed working with the SFPUC on this and other projects, and I see their implementation as a step towards greater sustainability and resource conservation.
It was both refreshing and reassuring to work in a government office that is dynamic and effective and is made up of individuals who feel a great sense of purpose and responsibility in their roles. The SFPUC left me with a renewed respect for how efficient and energetic a government organization can be. The myth of 'slow and inefficient government' need not be a guiding philosophy when debating the role of government."
From left to right: Laura Spanjian- Assistant General Manager of External Affairs at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Geoff Willard- Coro Fellow; Nathan Purkiss - Government Relations Manager at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Thank You to Our Special Guests
In addition to unique field placements, the Coro Fellows meet twice a week for group seminars. During seminars, they are introduced to a variety of leadership tools and have the opportunity to interview established leaders from various sectors. These meetings give the Fellows opportunities to learn about current issues and challenges and to learn from their guests’ personal leadership journeys. Coro would like to thank the following individuals for serving as a seminar guest during the past month:
• Scott Peterson, Public Policy Director; Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
• Michael Cohen, Director of Base Reuse and Real Estate Development; Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development
• Jane Kim, Commissioner; San Francisco Board of Education
• Ed Harrington, Controller; City and County of San Francisco
• John Iannuccillo and Larissa Roesch; Dodge & Cox
The Coro Fellows are currently exploring the business sector. Beginning on October 8, the following organizations welcomed Coro Fellows into their workplace to complete short-term projects. Coro’s success depends on our Field Faculty who provide the behind the scenes exposure to contemporary issues within the business community. Their time, energy, and mentorship are much appreciated by Coro and the Coro Fellows!
Republic Urban Properties
Field Faculty: Bob MendelsohnMcKesson Corporation
Field Faculty: Suzy Obst and Ramon PinedaKaiser Permanente
Field Faculty: Katherine Haynes SanstadSeifel Consulting, Inc.
Field Faculty: Abbie ConleeHeidrick & Struggles
Field Faculty: Jonathan HoytGround Floor Public Affairs
Field Faculty: Jacob SapersteinQuorum Consulting, Inc.
Field Faculty: Jason ChengDodge & Cox
Field Faculty: Larissa RoeschCitibank
Field Faculty: José ArceStone & Youngberg
Field Faculty: Jim CervantesHewlett-Packard
Field Faculty: Shawna HolmesPG&E
Field Faculty: Roxanne Cruz
Help Recruit the 2008-09 Coro Fellows
Recruitment for the 2008-09 Fellows Program in Public Affairs has begun! We would like to invite you to join the effort to find the brightest, most dynamic candidates for the next Fellows class. As a member of our invaluable network, your voice can convey the importance of Coro as a building block towards any career in public affairs – whether it is in the government, business, labor, political, philanthropy, or nonprofit sector.
There are many ways for you to help get the word out about the Fellows Program from hosting an information session at your alma mater, or speaking with potential applicants at a local career fair, to referring a friend or colleague, or simply sharing information about the Fellows Program with your social and professional online networks and listservs. Applications for the Fellows Program are due by January 11, 2008. Link to this year’s application:
