Public Service
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Tom
Ammiano Politician This California State Assemblyman and LGBT rights activist was an SF State student in the '70s. He returned to campus in the '90s to teach a course called "Sex, Power and Politics." |
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Paul
Ash Director of hunger-relief organization The executive director of the San Francisco Food Bank, he uses the skills he picked up in the business administration program to bring donated food to the tables of hungry people across the city. More... |
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John Avalos Supervisor, City/County of San Francisco After earning his master's degree, he worked as community organizer and brought San Francisco neighbors together to safeguard and expand services focused on health care and youth employment. |
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John Bell Founder, foundation/summer camp for families affected by childhood cancer His Novato-based Camp Okizu brings smiles to the faces of children coping with life-threatening illness and emotional support to their families -- contributions that have earned him a Jefferson Award for Public Service. More... |
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Judy
Bretschneider Founder, nonprofit dance academy for children This psychology graduate, founder and president of the Persidio Performing Arts Foundation and the Presidio Dance Theatre, received a Jefferson Award for Public Service for her commitment to bringing dance to children who otherwise could not afford it. |
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Willie Brown Politician San Francisco's 41st mayor, who grew up poor in Mineola, Texas, did not meet SF State entrance requirements but talked an administrator into admitting him on a trial basis. |
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John Burton Politician This all-league guard for SF State's basketball team went on to the political big leagues as a congressman and the president pro-tempore of the California state senate. |
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Brian
Cahill Former director of charity organization In his role as executive director of Catholic Charities CYO, this master's of social work grad helped families, aging and disabled adults, and youth. |
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Ron Dellums Politician This ex-Marine attended SF State on the GI Bill and went on to serve as the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. In 2006 he became Oakland's 48th mayor. |
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Val Dolcini State Executive Director, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture First appointed to his position by President Clinton and later by President Obama, he oversees 30 county offices tasked with supporting California's farmers and ranchers. |
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Dr. Saeb Erekat Chief Palestinian negotiator This international relations major supported himself working nights behind the counter of a San Francisco delicatessen. He went on to play a major role in world affairs as the Palestinians' chief peace negotiator. |
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Heather
Fong Former police chief Heather Fong had already been voted "Officer of the Year" when she entered the SF State master's program in social work to help her better understand the child abuse investigations she was leading. |
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Reuben
Greenberg Former police chief As Charleston, South Carolina's police chief, he made his officers accessible to citizens. The city's crime rates dropped, his department became a national model -- and he became a media celebrity. |
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Richard
Hongisto Sheriff/police chief He studied sociology at SF State by day and walked the streets of San Francisco as a cop at night. He went on to become county sheriff, a San Francisco supervisor and police chief. |
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David Inocencio Director/co-founder, publisher of writing by Bay Area youth in the juvenile justice system A graduate of the master's program in social work and a Jefferson Award winner, he launched a weekly publication, The Beat Within, to give troubled youths a way to work through their personal issues. |
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Darlene Iskra Ship commander This recreation major joined the Navy after graduation but had little time to play. She became the first woman commander of a U.S. sea vessel, the diving and salvage ship USS Opportune. |
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Willie Kennedy Politician She was a journalism major at SF State but got her name in the papers for her work as a San Francisco supervisor and BART director. |
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Fred
Lau Former police chief As a student, he tried to join the San Francisco Police Department but was too short. After the 5'8" height minimum was lifted, Lau stood tall as the department's first Asian-American chief. |
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Nicole LeFavour State senator After earning a teaching credential at SF State, she taught writing to at-risk youth. Today she continues to advocate for these students in her daily work as an Idaho senator. |
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Chris Marr Former state senator Known as a leading advocate for the environment in Spokane, Washington, he was named Legislator of the Year by Washington Conservation Voters in 2008. |
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Kathleen Martinez Assistant secretary for disability employment policy, U.S. Dept. of Labor Appointed by President Obama, she advises the Secretary of Labor and leads a comprehensive and coordinated national policy regarding the employment of people with disabilities. |
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Jake McGoldrick Politician This former San Francisco Supervisor paid for his education by doing construction work, earned an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language and taught at Presentation High School, City College and the University of San Francisco. |
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George
Miller Congressman Elected to represent the East Bay's 7th District in 1975, he co-authored the Leave No Child Behind Act, the education reform bill passed by Congress in 2001. More... |
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Ronald
Quidachay Judge As an Urban Studies undergrad, he cofounded the Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavors organization, and worked to establish the University's School of Ethnic Studies and Educational Opportunity Program. Today he is the presiding judge of San Francisco Superior Court. |
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Jim
Richards Nonprofit executive This Recreation Administration major started a youth summer camp after graduation and has been helping young people ever since. For more than three decades he has worked for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America including a 15-year stint as head of the organization's San Francisco chapter. |
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Pierre Salinger Presidential aide/journalist The press secretary to President John F. Kennedy and longtime chief of ABC's Paris bureau started his journalism career as managing editor of the Golden Gater in 1943. |
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Bill Thomas Former congressman As chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, this Bakersfield Republican who earned both a BA and MA from SF State, was one of the most powerful lawmakers on Capitol Hill until his retirement in 2007. |
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Leland Y. Yee Politician After earning his master's degree in psychology, he was a child psychologist, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Board of Education and became the first Asian American to rise to Speaker pro tempore of the California State Assembly. |
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Javad Zarif Diplomat Iran's former ambassador to the United Nations was an SF State student when he unintentionally launched his diplomatic career by volunteering at the Iranian Consulate-General in San Francisco. |
