Coro Journey, September 2007

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 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).

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.co m 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.

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.

Coro Fellows Tackle Environmental Issues

"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."

"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."

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."

"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."

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!

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:

Please contact Katie Koski, Outreach and Communications Manger, 415.986.0521 x102 or kkoski@coro.org, to volunteer to help recruit the 2008-09 class of Fellows.

Three of our 2007 Youth Fellows participated in a 3-day experience from October 13-15 in the Marin Headlands called Camp Enterprise sponsored by the San Francisco Rotary Club. This special program was targeting high school students with an interest in developing their social/business/professional skills. For their business plan presentations, Wendy Wu won a $500 scholarship for "leadership" and Soraya Okuda won a $250 scholarship for "creativity". There were only 4 total Rotary Club scholarships awarded.

For the fall component of Exploring Leadership, the Youth Fellows are charged with an exciting challenge. They have to take the Coro tools that they have been trained on and the leadership skills that they have developed during the intensive 8-week summer component experience to design and launch a CIP (Community Impact Project), at their respective high school and neighborhood communities. These CIPs are derived from taking the Youth Fellows’ passions to address an identified community issue or need that will lead to a positive and sustainable impact. One of the project criteria includes having the Youth Fellows assemble a leadership team where at least two other teenage youth are recruited to help bring the CIP vision to life. The diversity of projects range from offering a babysitting service to parents with children who have mental disabilities like autism and Down Syndrome to starting a Red Cross club that organizes blood drives and trains students on CPR.

Stepping-Up, Stepping-Out Graduation Ceremony on Wednesday, November 14th (5:30-7:30) at the San Francisco Public Library

Please join us to celebrate the San Francisco and East Bay Youth Fellows’ accomplishments. These high school juniors have gained the confidence and have acquired the skills to step up to the challenge of initiating Community Impact Projects and to step out as leaders in their communities. The event will take place at the San Francisco Public Library located at 100 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94102. The reception (5:30-6:00) will be held in the Latino/Hispanic Community Meeting Room and the program (6:00-7:30) will be held in the Koret Auditorium, both spaces located on the Library’s lower level.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Amy Chan at achan@coro.org or (415) 986-0521 ext. 105.

Building on the momentum of the alumni weekend last spring, the Coro Center for Civic Leadership in San Francisco would like to offer more programming and networking opportunities for alumni to be involved with the Coro community. We are asking alumni who are interested in helping spearhead an effort to design and implement an alumni engagement strategy to join us for the first Alumni Engagement Team Meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 8, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. If you are interested in attending, please contact Katie Koski, Outreach and Communications Manager at 415.986.0521 x102 or kkoski@coro.org for more information. Bring your enthusiasm for Coro, great ideas, and any other alumni who may want to participate.

After completing my undergraduate degree, I was determined to influence change and make a positive impact by pursuing a career in politics. It was while I was working on a political campaign that one of my colleagues first told me about the Coro Fellows Program. My interest was piqued from that moment on. After completing a Masters in Higher Education Administration, I applied to both law school and Coro and was accepted into both programs. While contemplating my options, I reached out to Coro alums to learn more about their experiences. Each person I spoke to, from a Senior Vice Chancellor at UCLA to a Cabinet Secretary for Governor Pete Wilson, not only took the time to meet with me, but each was genuinely excited to tell me about how Coro had shaped their careers. It was those conversations that led me to choose Coro—a decision that would change the course of my career and help me to discover new passions and skills.

When our fellowship year began, I was confident in my skills and abilities. However, when finished, I was shaken to my foundation by what I didn’t know. It was a very difficult year of non-stop work and high expectations from the Coro staff and Field Faculty. My Fellows class pushed and supported each other through all of the amazing and challenging times we had as a group. During my time as a Coro Fellow, I learned how to further value other people’s opinions, effectively facilitate meetings, and collaborate across sectors.

One of my most meaningful experiences was during my nonprofit placement at the Trauma Foundation. The Executive Director, Andrew McGuire, was a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow. He was also a brilliant field faculty who gave me a new perspective about nonprofits and how they could change the face of a community and influence policy. He demonstrated firsthand how community-based organizations were able to address social issues and inspire people to get involved and volunteer.

Before Coro, working in the nonprofit sector was never an option. But right after completing my fellowship, I founded a consulting group with some of my Coro classmates to help nonprofits by conducting leadership trainings for staff and helping them form strategic plans. Then, at the age of 26, I was hired as the director of Leadership Mid-Peninsula, due in large part to my experience as a Coro Fellow. I have continued to work in a management capacity for community-based organizations over the past nine years in the Bay Area and in Boston, Massachusetts.

Now, as Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity San Francisco, we use many of the tools and lessons I learned at Coro with our organization as we fight to eliminate poverty housing in San Francisco and Marin County—building homes in partnership with families who would otherwise face poverty living conditions. For over seven years I have served as a Field Faculty for eight Coro Fellows, including our current Associate Director, Jim Murray, who was hired after his fellowship. The work that the Fellows have done for our organization has helped advance our organizational goals, initiate new programs and plan for the future.

I continue to stay connected to the network and meet other alumni in almost every aspect of my life. In fact, I married Coro St. Louis alumna, Kelley Karandjeff, and we just had our first baby, Elias Andrew Kilbridge this past May. We hope he will be in the Coro Exploring Leadership Class of 2023.

Nick Dietz, EL ’06, is the Senior Class President at Stuart Hall in San Francisco.

Danice Delos Santos, EL ’07, was elected Junior Class President at Burton High School in San Francisco.

Betty Feng, FPPA ’06 SF, is in her last year at George Washington University working on her Masters in Public Policy. She was a 2007 Summer Associate at Deloitte Consulting in their Federal practice, and is currently interning with EMILY’s List and volunteering on the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Beth Flores, FPPA ’99 SF, is in her third year working at the U.S. Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where she is currently responsible for the Proliferation Security Initiative, an effort by over 85 countries to impede or stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related materials.

Sarah Fox, FPPA ’03 SF, resides in Portland, Oregon where she is involved in a variety of pursuits. She is an associate producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting and was chosen to work on a documentary due to air in April 2008 on invasive species. She is a jeweler and a Gallery Artist for the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in Portland. Sarah was chosen as a 2008 American Craft Council Searchlight Artist for her jewelry—one of just 25 artists selected in the country. She also works in marketing for a Portland architecture firm, Mahlum Architects, where the work is focused in the public sector, specifically healthcare and education projects.

Tarana Harris, FPPA ’99 SF, recently moved from ABC News in Atlanta to become a producer in its Los Angeles bureau. She reports she is happy to be back on the West Coast.

Alexandra Cespedes Kent, CLP ’03, after an impressive and multi-faceted career with Coro SF serving as director of the youth program, the part-time adult program and the UCSF/Coro faculty initiative, has gone on to become the Associate Director of the Purpose Prize at Civic Ventures in San Francisco. We wish her all the best and look forward to her continued involvement in Coro.

Letitia Henderson-Souza, MSW, FPPA ’05 SF, recently joined Casey Family Programs as a Community Specialist working with youth who are transitioning out of foster care and helping them achieve self-sufficiency.

Gloria Louie, CF ’92, is the Equal Employment Opportunity and Training Programs Director of the San Francisco Airport Commission. She continues to do much work in the employee Civil Rights area.

Megan Miller, FPPA ’07 SF, recently started as a Northern California Field Representative for Senator Barbara Boxer in San Francisco. Her region encompasses seven counties in Northern California.

Coro would like to thank the individuals and organizations that provided
valuable financial support since the last issue of The Journey:

Fellows Program in Public Affairs
County of Alameda, City of Redwood City, City and County of San Francisco, Ground Floor Public Affairs, Heidrick & Struggles, Inc., Quorum Consulting, San Mateo Labor Council, Seifel Consulting, Inc.

Leadership 2.0

An excerpt from Patrick O’Heffernan’s article:

In the 21st century the Web 2.0 world is trending toward a combination of the wisdom of the crowd and the wisdom of experts.

Is there a Leadership 2.0 requirement emerging and what does it mean for the qualities and skills that make up a leader? Does a Web 2.0 world mean that a leader needs to be proficient not only with the tools of analytic thinking, research, presentation, public speaking, negotiation, but with a whole new set of tools ranging from social entrepreneurship to posting YouTube videos? How does a leader in a Web 2.0 world use the "wisdom of the crowd" while still creating a coherent vision for people to follow? How does a Web 2.0 leader foster open decision making and decentralized authority and inspire people to a common goal? And, finally, what does this mean for Coro and the skills we teach?

What do you think? Log on to http://COROCENTERBLOG.blogspot.com to read the whole article and comment.

Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley - is hosting a Diversity Recruitment Day

Exploring Leadership Fellows and Alumni - please note:

The applications for the 2008 BR!CK Awards are now online.

Apply now for a chance to win $100,000 in community grants and scholarships. The application closes Dec 31, 2007. You must have been born on or after June 30, 1982 to apply. NO MAILED/EMAILED/FAXED entries will be accepted.

Are you passionately working to address a problem in your local or global community?

Are you age 25 and under, and a permanent resident or citizen of
the U.S. or Canada?

If you have answered “Yes!” to all of the questions above, then you should apply for a BR!CK Award.

Follow this link for description of the following opportunities in the community:

Mills College - College Attorney
Sports4Kids - Chief Financial Officer
Level Playing Field Institute - Workplace Programs Associate
Golden Gate University School of Law - Associate Professor of Law, Environmental Law and Justice Clinic Director
San Francisco Department of the Environment - Outreach Marketing/Communications Coordinator (5640 ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST)
American Lung Association of California - Air Quality/Global Warming Policy Coordinator
The Leakey Foundation - Development Associate
The Apollo Alliance - Assistant to the CEO, Communications Director, Development Director, Administrative Director
The Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice (BCCJ) - Deputy Director
March of Dimes - Executive Director
Morrison & Foerster LLP - Professional Development and Diversity Manager
Youth Together - Executive Director
Population Communication - Executive Director
Davis Street Family Resource Center - Case Management Project Manager, Basic Needs Social Worker
Civic Ventures - Managing Editor, Encore.org, Web Designer/Developer
Equal Rights Advocates - Staff Attorney
League of California Cities - Legislative Analyst
Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Race, Ethnicity and Diversity - Policy Analyst, K-12 Education

Name	Title	email	Ext.
Minden Bennion	Fellows Program Director	mbennion@coro.org	104
Toni Cassar	Operations and IT Manager	tcassar@coro.org	100
Amy Chan	Youth Programs Director	achan@coro.org	105
Tracey Jones	Donor Relations Manager	tjones@coro.org	106
Katie Koski	Outreach and Communications Manager	kkoski@coro.org	102
Patrick O'Heffernan	Director of Finance and Development	poheffernan@coro.org	107
Jeffrey Sosnaud	Executive Director	jsosnaud@coro.org	101

Please help us keep the JOURNEY relevant and timely by sending us your information on events, jobs or other items of interest. Please send your submission to Katie Koski. You will receive a response within three business days. Coro Center for Civic Leadership regrets that we are unable to promote fundraising events for other organizations.

To prevent mailbox filters from deleting mailings from Coro Center for Civic Leadership, add corojourney@coro.org to your address book.

Support Coro Center for Civic Leadership

Exploring Leadership “Exploring” Expansion

Coro Fellows Tackle Environmental Issues

Thank You to Our Special Guests

Help Recruit the 2008-09 Coro Fellows

Exploring Leadership Fellows and Alumni - please note:

The applications for the 2008 BR!CK Awards are now online.