FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 18, 2021

CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov

SAN DIEGO Mayor Todd Gloria today announced the following appointments to City Boards and Commissions:

Jaymie Bradford, 49, of Bay Park is being reappointed to the San Diego Convention Center Board of Directors. Ms. Bradford is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce where she leads the Chamber's strategy and vision and oversees its day-to-day operation. Ms. Bradford has extensive experience in municipal government, having served in a variety of leadership and policy roles. She received her bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.

Elaine Cooluris, 74, of Ocean Beach is being appointed to the Accessibility Advisory Board. She has over 40 years of experience working for Able-Disabled Advocacy (A-DA) - an organization that provides advocacy, universal technology assistance, disability and accessibility awareness consulting and employment-related services for disabled youth and adults. Under her leadership, A-DA was the first organization in the San Diego region to offer assistive technology computer training and employment assistance to the blind, deaf and hard-of-hearing, and individuals with severe mobility challenges.

Sunday Gover, 49, of Scripps Ranch is being appointed to the Civil Service Commission. Ms. Gover is a small business owner with a background in corporate executive management, especially in recruitment, retention, and development of employment policy. A leader in the LGBT community, she has been an active volunteer with many local organizations making sure that all voices are heard and receive an inclusive and equitable response. Her advocacy is both regional and personal. She is a mother of four, cares for her aging father, and runs her business.

Dr. Mary McKenzie, 59, of Hillcrest is being appointed to the Accessibility Advisory Board. Dr. McKenzie has lived in San Diego for over 25 years and has spent most of that time educating students as a professor of political science at the University of San Diego (USD). Her volunteer experience includes serving on the Hillcrest Town Council, Uptown Planners, the San Diego Diplomacy Council and the USD College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. McKenzie has had rheumatoid arthritis since childhood.

Nicolaz Portillo, 48, of Southcrest is being appointed to the Civil Service Commission. Mr. Portillo has a long and distinguished career at the County of San Diego advocating for and assisting the aging and disabled population. His knowledge and compassion have positively impacted countless families through his work. Mr. Portillos educational background includes earning a B.A. in Political Science from the University of San Francisco.

Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, 34, of Downtown is being appointed to the San Diego Convention Center Board of Directors. Mr. Rodriguez-Kennedy serves as Assistant Chief of Staff for the California State Board Equalization, District 4. He is a former reporter, community organizer and veteran of the United States Marine Corps. His volunteerism includes having served on the Board of Directors of San Diego LGBT Pride, a member of the San Diego Police Departments Chiefs LGBTQ+ Advisory Board, and as a commissioner on the Civil Service Commission for the County of San Diego. Mr. Rodriguez-Kennedy will succeed Allan Farwell who has tendered his resignation from the Board effective December 1, 2021.

Melinda Vasquez, 46, of Rancho Peñasquitos is being appointed to the San Diego Housing Commission. Ms. Vasquez is an attorney specializing in real estate, labor, and family law. Ms. Vasquez is the current chair of the San Diego Housing Coalition where she represents a collective of community members, organizations, and housing advocates who have been directly impacted by the housing crisis. She is also a commissioner on the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for San Diego County. She earned a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Humboldt State University and her Juris Doctorate from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Mary Wolford, 65, of Bay Park is being appointed to the Accessibility Advisory Board. Ms. Wolford has spent 43 years serving residents of the City of San Diego. She worked for more than 20 years in the Public Works Engineering Division executing capital improvement projects related to accessibility. In 2011, Ms. Wolford joined the Citys ADA Compliance and Accessibility. She also worked as a Certified Access Specialist for ADA self-evaluations and transition plans.

In addition, the following appointments were confirmed by the City Council this week:

Paul Cooper, 63, of Carmel Valley has been appointed to the Ethics Commission. Mr. Cooper is the Vice President and General Counsel of the RMD Group. Prior to that, he served as Executive Assistant City Attorney for the San Diego City Attorneys Office. His tenure with the City Attorneys Office began in 1993. Mr. Cooper earned a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a J.D. from J. Reuben Clark School of Law.

Colin Duong, 17, of Mira Mesa has been appointed to the Youth Commission as a District 6 representative. He has experience working for small businesses and is passionate about entrepreneurship and creating an environment that helps small businesses to be successful. Mr. Duong looks to increase youth entrepreneurship program availability as he understands local businesses are vital to economic growth and a source of innovation.

Thomas Hebrank, 61, has been reappointed to the Ethics Commission. Mr. Hebrank is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor, and partner in the firm E3 Advisors. He served as Chairman of the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS) and on the Citys Audit Committee overseeing the Citys financial reporting and internal audit functions. Mr. Hebrank graduated with a BSBA in Accounting from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri.

Imani Robinson, 48, of Mountain View, has been appointed to the Commission for Arts and Culture. Ms. Robinson is an incredible leader in her community and a strong advocate for public spaces and the arts. A San Diego native with deep ties in her neighborhood, she is passionate about youth engagement and opportunity. Ms. Robinsons experience includes serving on three School Site Councils throughout the San Diego Unified School District and was a board member on the District Advisory Council for several years. For the last two years, Ms. Robinson has chaired the Mountain View Advisory Council, where she has worked with the community in hosting live events, improving safety, and performing beautification projects. She is a licensed cosmetologist for almost 30 years and has a 10-year career in financial literacy that began with Mind Treasures. She also provides consulting to Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek as their Program Advisor and is a Financial Literacy Coach with Dreams for Change.

Jimmie Slack, 70, of Scripps Ranch has been appointed to the Ethics Commission. Mr. Slack has over three decades of public service experience to the County and City of San Diego. He served as Chief of Staff to former San Diego County Board of Supervisor Leon L. Williams and held the same role for former San Diego City Council Presidents Tony Young and Myrtle Cole until his retirement in 2018. He also worked as Regional Project Manager for Lockheed Martin/ACS State and Local Solutions. Mr. Slack received his bachelors degree in Public Administration/Management from San Diego State University.

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