Participants Participants

Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is a where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is a leading expert on public opinion and survey methodology, and has directed the leading expert on public opinion and survey methodology, and has directed the PPIC Statewide Survey since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter behavior, PPIC Statewide Survey since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter behavior, and political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous reports on these and political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous reports on these topics. He often provides testimony before legislative committees and state topics. He often provides testimony before legislative committees and state commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s Speaker Series, a public forum featuring commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s Speaker Series, a public forum featuring in-depth interviews with state and national leaders. Previously, he served as PPIC’s in-depth interviews with state and national leaders. Previously, he served as PPIC’s director of research. Before joining PPIC, he was a professor of urban and regional director of research. Before joining PPIC, he was a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of California, Irvine, where he held the Johnson Chair in planning at the University of California, Irvine, where he held the Johnson Chair in Civic Governance. He has conducted surveys for the Los Angeles Times, the San Civic Governance. He has conducted surveys for the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Business Roundtable. He holds a PhD in Francisco Chronicle, and the California Business Roundtable. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. Caroline Danielson is a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California. Caroline Danielson is a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California. Her research focuses on multiple dimensions of the social safety net, including its Her research focuses on multiple dimensions of the social safety net, including its role in mitigating poverty, program access and enrollment, and the integration and role in mitigating poverty, program access and enrollment, and the integration and governance of programs. Her work has been published in numerous academic governance of programs. Her work has been published in numerous academic journals, including the Journal of Policy Analysis and the Social Service Review. journals, including the Journal of Policy Analysis and the Social Service Review. Before coming to PPIC, she was a principal analyst at the University of California’s Before coming to PPIC, she was a principal analyst at the University of California’s Welfare Policy Research Project and a faculty member in the Department of Welfare Policy Research Project and a faculty member in the Department of Politics at the State University of New York, Potsdam. She holds a PhD in political Politics at the State University of New York, Potsdam. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in policy analysis science from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND graduate school. from the Pardee RAND graduate school. John Diaz has been editorial page editor for the San Francisco Chronicle since John Diaz has been editorial page editor for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1996. He has won numerous state and national awards, and served as a juror for 1996. He has won numerous state and national awards, and served as a juror for the Pulitzer Prize four times. Before joining the editorial page, he directed the the Pulitzer Prize four times. Before joining the editorial page, he directed the paper’s East Bay news coverage. He came to the Chronicle in 1990 as an assistant paper’s East Bay news coverage. He came to the Chronicle in 1990 as an assistant city editor. Before that, he worked as a general assignment reporter for the city editor. Before that, he worked as a general assignment reporter for the Associated Press in Philadelphia and as a statehouse reporter and assistant city Associated Press in Philadelphia and as a statehouse reporter and assistant city editor for the Denver Post. He began his career as a reporter for the Red Bluff Daily editor for the Denver Post. He began his career as a reporter for the Red Bluff Daily News. He earned a BA in journalism from Humboldt State University. News. He earned a BA in journalism from Humboldt State University. Jorge Morales serves on the South Gate City Council. First elected in 2011, he is Jorge Morales serves on the South Gate City Council. First elected in 2011, he is a lifelong resident of South Gate. He also works as a senior strategist for Ek, a lifelong resident of South Gate. He also works as a senior strategist for Ek, Sunkin, Klink & Bai, LLC, a full-service public affairs, strategic communication, and Sunkin, Klink & Bai, LLC, a full-service public affairs, strategic communication, and government advocacy firm. The firm represents corporations, trade associations, government advocacy firm. The firm represents corporations, trade associations, nonprofits, and public agencies before government bodies at the local, state, nonprofits, and public agencies before government bodies at the local, state, regional, and federal levels. A public servant for well over twelve years, he began regional, and federal levels. A public servant for well over twelve years, he began his career as a legislative aide for assembly majority leader Marco Antonio his career as a legislative aide for assembly majority leader Marco Antonio Firebaugh. After that, he worked as chief of staff to a Los Angeles Unified School Firebaugh. After that, he worked as chief of staff to a Los Angeles Unified School District board member and as a legislative deputy for Los Angeles County supervisor District board member and as a legislative deputy for Los Angeles County supervisor Gloria Molina. Since 2013, he has served on the board of directors for the League Gloria Molina. Since 2013, he has served on the board of directors for the League of California Cities and the Hub Cities Consortium. He holds a BA in political science of California Cities and the Hub Cities Consortium. He holds a BA in political science from California State University, Long Beach. from California State University, Long Beach. Libby Schaaf is mayor of Oakland. A native Oaklander, she is committed to Libby Schaaf is mayor of Oakland. A native Oaklander, she is committed to revitalization that preserves and celebrates the city's diversity and leads to revitalization that preserves and celebrates the city's diversity and leads to prosperity for long-time residents and newcomers. Her four areas of focus are prosperity for long-time residents and newcomers. Her four areas of focus are holistic community safety; sustainable, vibrant infrastructure; equitable jobs and holistic community safety; sustainable, vibrant infrastructure; equitable jobs and housing; and responsive, trustworthy government. Before she was elected mayor housing; and responsive, trustworthy government. Before she was elected mayor in 2014, she served one term on the Oakland City Council. A former council chief in 2014, she served one term on the Oakland City Council. A former council chief of staff and top mayoral aide to Jerry Brown, she has two decades of public service of staff and top mayoral aide to Jerry Brown, she has two decades of public service experience that began while she was a young attorney leading volunteer efforts in experience that began while she was a young attorney leading volunteer efforts in Oakland. She later left Oakland’s largest law firm to build and run the first centralized Oakland. She later left Oakland’s largest law firm to build and run the first centralized volunteer program for Oakland public schools at the Marcus Foster Institute. She volunteer program for Oakland public schools at the Marcus Foster Institute. She went on to become public affairs director for the Port of Oakland. She holds a JD went on to become public affairs director for the Port of Oakland. She holds a JD from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a BA from Rollins College in Florida. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a BA from Rollins College in Florida. Ashley Swearengin is mayor of Fresno. First elected in 2008, she took office at one Ashley Swearengin is mayor of Fresno. First elected in 2008, she took office at one of the most challenging moments in the city’s history. She worked to return Fresno of the most challenging moments in the city’s history. She worked to return Fresno to financial health while also focusing on long-term transformational efforts such to financial health while also focusing on long-term transformational efforts such as downtown and community revitalization and adult education. Before she was as downtown and community revitalization and adult education. Before she was elected to office, she led a number of economic development programs in the elected to office, she led a number of economic development programs in the Fresno area, including the Central Valley Business Incubator, Fresno State’s Office Fresno area, including the Central Valley Business Incubator, Fresno State’s Office of Community and Economic Development, the Regional Jobs Initiative, and the of Community and Economic Development, the Regional Jobs Initiative, and the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. She is a member of the board of California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. She is a member of the board of the California League of Cities and serves on the executive committee of the US the California League of Cities and serves on the executive committee of the US Conference of Mayors; she is also chair of the California Partnership for the San Conference of Mayors; she is also chair of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. She holds an MBA and BS from California State University, Fresno. Joaquin Valley. She holds an MBA and BS from California State University, Fresno.