Supervisor Cindy Chavez represents more than a half million people in East, Central and South San José and has made equity the cornerstone of most of her policies. She is responsible for the majority of affordable housing in Santa Clara County after being the architect of the $950-million affordable housing bond passed by voters in 2016. The County has now funded more than 41 developments that total more than 4,400 homes throughout Santa Clara County – many of which are now in operation or nearing completion. Her visionary policies include getting COVID vaccines into the arms of all Santa Clara County residents, improved services for physically & sexually abused children under one roof at the new Children’s Advocacy Center; more comprehensive help and resources for our foster youth; expansive, structural changes to digital and broadband services for Santa Clara County’s school children in disadvantaged areas and health care for all children.

Bob Brownstein is Strategic Advisor at Working Partnerships USA; he has worked at that organization for the past 24 years. He has been an advocate for the county’s safety net health care institutions for over 4 decades and was a leading strategist in developing the county’s Children’s Health Initiative. He has also played a leading role in the adoption of affordable housing policies, transit equity programs, city and county living wage policies and successful San José initiatives to increase the minimum wage and provide opportunities for part/time workers. For decades he has been an active supporter of the County’s Labor Movement, receiving the Friend of Labor Award in 1982 and awards for steadfast support for working families at the COPE Banquets of 1998 and 2016.

Prior to his current position, he was Chief of Staff for County Supervisor Susanne Wilson (1978-1990) and Budget Director for San José Mayor Susan Hammer (1990-1998). He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Princeton University and Master’s Degrees from Stanford University and San José State University.

As Executive Director of Working Partnerships USA, Maria Noel brings more than a decade of successful community, labor, and electoral organizing to Silicon Valley’s movement for a just economy. She is a fierce advocate for racial and economic justice, and her passion is grassroots organizing to build a multi-racial, feminist democracy for all. Under her guidance, Working Partnerships USA achieved significant victories, improving wages, working conditions, and union job access for over 10,000 subcontracted service workers in Silicon Valley. Maria Noel played a key role in policy campaigns, raising the minimum wage to $15/hr in eight cities, implementing the first-in-the-nation Opportunity to Work policy, expanding tenant protections, and ensuring universal healthcare access. With a background in progressive politics, community organizing, and leadership roles, Maria Noel is a dedicated advocate for positive change. She currently serves on the boards of PowerSwitch Action, the South Bay AFL-CIO, and Movimiento Arte Cultura Latinoamericana Board (MACLA). Residing in Gilroy with her husband Carlos and their sons, Tadeo and Diago, Maria Noel is committed to building a better future for all.

As the first Executive Director of the Behavioral Health Contractors’ Association (BHCA), Elisa Koff-Ginsborg leverages her national policy and local organizing experience, extensive professional training and deep passion to create a strong safety net to support people affected by mental illness and substance use so that they have the same opportunities to fully participate in life as others in our community. With more than 25 years of non-profit and government experience that encompass policy analysis, advocacy, organizing, nonprofit management and direct service as a social worker, Elisa works collaboratively with nonprofit and government leaders.

Previously, Elisa served as Interim Director of the Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice and Associate Director of Community Education at Working Partnerships USA. She has a BA from Syracuse University, an MA from the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University and an MSW from Catholic University of America.

Kyra has been a long-time nonprofit professional, community leader, and public servant in our Silicon Valley community. Previous to her role at SVCN, she was senior policy advisor in the City of San José’s Mayor’s office, focused on housing and homelessness, and, before that, directing attorney at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, leading teams of public interest attorneys in high impact policy advocacy and litigation. Kyra has a JD from the University of Michigan Law School and a BA from the University of Arizona. Kyra is an American Leadership Forum senior fellow, a recipient of the SCCBA Professional Lawyer of the Year, and a Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence. She lives in downtown San José with her husband Eric and daughter Kassia.

Ken Yeager received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from San José State University and his Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University. In 1984 he co-founded BAYMEC, a political action committee in the Bay Area that is still active today. In 1992, he was elected to the community college board, becoming the first openly gay official in Santa Clara County. He subsequently won election to the San José City Council and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. A long-time lecturer at SJSU, he returned to teaching in 2019. He and his partner Michael are proud dads to their Yellow Labrador, Hank.

Dr. Angelica Cortez is a Queer activist and organizer with a background in public policy and advocacy. Voted as a Silicon Valley 40 Under 40 and Woman of Influence, she is the Founder and Executive Director of LEAD Filipino, a nonprofit organization based out of San José and Senior Vice President of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) at Pacific Clinics, the largest mental and behavioral health nonprofit service provider in California.

Starting her career in public policy and advocacy, she spent over a decade working in local government before serving in prominent leadership roles with policy associations from Sacramento, San José, to Los Angeles. In 2020, she became the first Vice President of Racial Justice & Equity for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

In 2015, she founded LEAD Filipino, a rising nonprofit organization honored as “Community Organization of the Year” California State Senate District 10 for their regional civic programs and campaigns. Under her leadership, the organization has grown to serve thousands of youth and families every year and opened their first office in downtown San José in late 2022. In May 2023, the group launched the Asian American Voter Empowerment Project with the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) in Los Angeles.

Wendy Ho is a community advocate and civic leader with over 10 years of experience working on public policy at the local, state, and federal level. Prior to leading the District 3 Office and Team, the majority of Wendy’s career was in the nonprofit sector, serving most recently as the Chief Strategy and Policy Officer for the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits. Her experience also includes policy roles with United Way Silicon Valley, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, and U.S. Congress.

Wendy has served her community on the San José-Evergreen Community College District Board of Trustees since 2012. She earned her MPA from Indiana University, and BA Political Science & BA Japanese Studies from UC San Diego.

Vice Mayor Sergio Lopez was elected to the Campbell City Council in 2020 and appointed Vice Mayor for 2024.

An author and historian, his writing has been published in TIME, Teen Vogue, America, Scalawag, Sojourners, Soft Punk, National Catholic Reporter, Geez, and Hanif Abdurraqib's 68to05 project. He is a monthly columnist for the Campbell Press. Lopez serves on the Board of Directors of the Children's Creativity Museum and is on the Board of Trustees for Junior State of America Foundation. His first book, a work of American history, is forthcoming from University of Georgia Press.

A regional leader in housing, environmental, and transportation issues, Vice Mayor Lopez serves as Vice Chair of the Valley Transportation Authority and on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Lopez is a proud child of immigrants and was the first in his family to graduate college. He attended Yale University as a Questbridge Scholar, received his M.A. at Duke Divinity School (with a certificate in Black Church Studies), and attends the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Yvonne is a policy professional and community organizer with over a decade of federal and local government experience. Yvonne graduated from San José State University (Go Spartans!) with a B.A. in Political Science. Previous to her role at SVCN, she served as a senior policy advisor to Supervisors Ellenberg, Wasserman, and Yeager; focused on behavioral and public health, justice reform, and social services. Yvonne is a passionate advocate for equitable and inclusive policies and increasing opportunities for underrepresented communities. She lives in Eastside and in her free time can be found hiking around the east foothills with her husband, twin boys, and two dogs.