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LYRIC Names Toni Newman Interim Executive Director

Media Contact: DP&A, Inc. / David Perry / news@davidperry.com / (415) 676-7007

LYRIC Names Toni Newman Interim Executive Director

LYRIC President Jodi Schwartz Oversees Expansion & Capital Campaign

19 October 2020 – San Francisco, CA: Heading into a momentous election with direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of LGBTQI+ youth, San Francisco’s esteemed nonprofit LYRIC (www.lyric.org) has named Toni Newman as Interim Executive Director while Jodi L. Schwartz continues as President to oversee the ongoing capital campaign to expand LYRIC’s landmark home in San Francisco’s Castro District, allowing for expanded program opportunities for youth.

After an extensive interview process with the Board of Directors, LYRIC staff, and LYRIC youth, it became clear that Toni is the leader for LYRIC at this moment,” said LYRIC Board Co-Chairs Adam Leonard and Phil Kim in a statement. “The Board’s unanimous decision to welcome Toni to LYRIC speaks to our confidence in her leadership and experience. We are grateful for Jodi’s commitment to our shared mission and look forward to our partnership with staff and youth to ensure LYRIC thrives for generations to come.”

LYRIC is the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading organization offering expertise in youth workforce development, healthcare navigation, individual counseling, and group-based community building to marginalized low-income LGBTQQ+ youth.  In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, LYRIC has continued its vital work for LGBTQQ youth in our community.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to join the dedicated and devoted LYRIC staff, board, volunteers, and donors. I accept the mission of LYRIC to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career training, health promotion, and leadership development with LGBTQQ youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities,” said Newman. “I am humbled at what has been accomplished and achieved by the current Executive Director, Jodi Schwartz, and this exceptional organization. I am excited at the opportunities and possibilities of who we can become as we seek to continue our legacy of a diverse society where LGBTQQ youth are embraced for who they are and encouraged to be who they want to be. I am a living example of LYRIC’s mission and vision.”

Having served for 15 years as LYRIC Executive Director, half of LYRIC’s 30-year history, Schwartz transitions to the role of President to oversee the nonprofits’ capital campaign to expand and renovate its landmark “Purple House” facilities. The renovation will provide more functional, safe spaces to meet growing demand. 

“I could not be happier to welcome Toni. Her experience and expertise make her an incredible fit for this role,” said Schwartz. “After serving LYRIC as its Executive Director and President for the past 15 years, I’m excited to serve solely as the President so I can focus on setting LYRIC up for the future. Our capital campaign is all about giving us more space so we can do more work to satisfy this growing need.”

Under Schwartz’s leadership, LYRIC has grown its budget by 100% and doubled the size of its staff team to meet increasing demand for supports in our LGBTQQ+ youth community.

“For over three decades, and especially for the last 15 years under Jodi’s leadership, LYRIC has made a formative impact in the lives of LGBTQQ+ youth in the San Francisco Bay Area.” Leonard and Kim continued. “In the wake of COVID-19, which brings more isolation and economic insecurity for our youth, LYRIC’s services and leadership are needed more than ever. In addition to continuing to offer our critical services virtually, LYRIC is leading the COVID-19 response for San Francisco’s LGBTQQ youth.”

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About Toni Newman: Toni is the former Interim Director for Employment Services at the San Francisco LGBT Center and a consultant for the Transgender Strategy Center. Toni is a graduate of Wake Forest University and current candidate for her Juris of Doctorate (JD). Toni served as the Executive Director for St. James Infirmary and the Director of Development for Maitri Compassionate Care, and previously served as the Interim Director of Development & Communications at To Help Everyone Health and Wellness Centers and as a Strategic Fundraiser, Volunteer Recruiter, and Legislative Aide for Equality California. Additionally, Toni is a best selling author, noted for her memoir I Rise – The Transformation of Toni Newman released in 2011, which is based on the poem I Rise by Wake Forest University Reynolds Professor, Dr. Maya Angelou. 

About Jodi L. Schwartz: Jodi had the honor of becoming LYRIC’s Executive Director in 2005. During Jodi’s tenure at LYRIC, she developed San Francisco’s first LGBTQQ youth-specific case management program and facilitated the formation of the Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth – a seven-agency continuum of services for LGBTQQ transition age youth (ages 16-24). She led the launch of capacity building initiatives to promote LGBTQQ youth inclusion in San Francisco’s behavioral health and workforce development systems, in San Francisco’s public schools, and in youth organizations citywide. Jodi has been an invited participant in the prestigious Gap Inc. Leadership Initiative and Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builder’s Leadership Program and was named a 2013 LGBT Local Hero by KQED/Union Bank.

About LYRIC: LYRIC’s mission is to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and leadership development with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities. For more information and to make a donation, go to www.lyric.org  

San Francisco’s First Ever “Drive in Presidential Debate Watch Party”

Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Thursday, October 22: 6pm – 8pm (PST)
San Francisco’s First Ever “Drive in Presidential Debate Watch Party”

Presented by Manny’s in collaboration with Fort Mason Flix

www.welcometomannys.com

18 October 2020 – San Francisco, CA:  In a first-of-its-kind special event, Manny’s (www.welcometomannys.com)is producing a 100-car drive in Presidential Debate watch party, Thursday, October 22 (6pm – 8pm PST) at Fort Mason (2 Marina Boulevard. San Francisco)Tickets are $35-$55 per vehicle and available only in advance by online order at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mannys-drive-in-presidential-debate-watch-party-tickets-125430103817?aff=In order to ensure all patrons have an enjoyable experience, attendees are asked to arrive early. Any late arrivals, 20 minutes after the showing has begun, will not be permitted into the event. Tickets are non-refundable or exchangeable.

“We’re not going to let the pandemic stop us from finding creative ways to safely bring together the community to participate in civic life.” said Manny Yekutiel, 31, who founded and runs the eponymous Mission District community engagement space and café dubbed “the New Hampshire of California” (KCBS Radio) for its hosting of myriad political events including hosting 17 Democratic presidential candidates. “I’m excited to be able to host the next Presidential debate in this novel way. San Francisco stays informed no matter what!”

Thursday’s “Drive In Debate” is believed to be the first ever such happening in San Francisco and the latest COVID-19 era happening produced by FORT MASON FLIX, a pop-up drive-in theater showing hit movies six days a week, from family favorites and cult classics to blockbusters and arthouse cinema. For Thursday’s event, all tickets are general admission and there is no assigned parking. Staff will do their best to accommodate all vehicles. For sightline reasons, taller vehicles such as SUVs will be parked towards the rear of the venue so as not to block the views of smaller cars. Hatchback viewing will be allowed on a first-come-first-served basis but placed in spots that will not block other vehicle’s viewing. Mandatory mask wearing will be enforced if people leave their vehicles to use restrooms or socially distant onsite concessions.

Since opening its doors on Election Night 2018, Manny’s has become an epicenter of community involvement, dialogue and civic engagement having served over 50,000 people, staged over 500 events, donated space to more than 150 area nonprofits and charities, and hosted 17 presidential candidates in his first year alone. Also, in addition to receiving much media and public attention, Manny’s was recognized for his above-and-beyond achievements by the California State Senate as “Small Business of the Year.” 

Manny’s is a people powered, community focused meeting and learning place in the heart of San Francisco that combines a restaurant, political bookshop, and civic events space. Manny’s goal: to create a central and affordable place to become a better informed and more involved citizen. Manny’s offers its events space to nonprofits, activists and civic organizations to spread their message and do their work as well as hosting its own civic and arts related programming. Manny’s kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry.

Important changes for bicycle/pedestrian access to Yerba Buena and Treasure islands

Media contacts
Eric Young / SF County Transportation Authority (415) 522-4800 / communications@sfcta.org

David Perry / David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

MEDIA ADVISORY / REQUEST FOR COVERAGE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 12

WHO: San Francisco County Transportation Authority 

WHAT / WHERE: Announces Important changes for bicycle/pedestrian access to Yerba Buena and Treasure islands

WHEN: RESTRICTED ACCESS October 13, 2020 through April 2021

WEB: www.511.org/biking/bay-bridge-trail

WHY: The Southgate Road Realignment Project will realign Southgate Road, the critical local connection between the I-80 westbound and eastbound on- and off-ramps, and reconstruct/ reopen the I-80 eastbound off-ramp to Yerba Buena Island. This project is part of a larger effort to replace and retrofit key roads and on- and off-ramps that connect the I-80 (the highway on the Bay Bridge) and Yerba Buena Island. The San Francisco Transportation Authority (SFCTA) is working jointly with Caltrans, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) and the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) on this effort.

During weekdays there will be NO BICYCLE ACCESS between the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island along Macalla Road. (Visa Point will be OPEN for use from sunrise to sunset during weekdays for bicyclists.) During weekends and holidays, bicycle access between the SFOBB bike path and Treasure Island will be provided via a temporary bike path between the SFOBB bike path landing at Yerba Buena Island and Macalla Road. Bicycles will be able to travel between Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands via Macalla Road and the temporary bike path. Please note that Macalla Road is VERY STEEP AND NARROW, and there are no separated bicycle facilities along this road. Therefore, bicycles will need to share the lane with motorists. For these reasons, bicycles on Macalla Road are discouraged. The Vista Point facilities will be OPEN for use from sunrise to sunset on weekends and holidays for bicyclists.

Hotel Council of San Francisco presents “The Future of Hospitality” Webinar

Media Contact:  David Perry & Associates, Inc/David Perry  (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

October 15: 10am – 12pm (PST) Hotel Council of San Francisco presents “The Future of Hospitality” Webinar 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4XTiLWcGTv2WdPPZq4er9Q

9 October 2020 — San Francisco, CA: With San Francisco hotels recently allowed to re-open and signs of a pent-up demand for travel, the Hotel Council of San Francisco (www.hotelcouncilsf.org) presents the next in its series of educational webinars for hospitality professionals on Thursday, October 15, 10am – 12pm. “The Future of Hospitality” will featured industry professionals, travel experts, journalists and hoteliers in a wide-ranging discussion with specific tools and technologies for reopening San Francisco tourism economy. Sponsored by the Expedia Group the webinar is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4XTiLWcGTv2WdPPZq4er9QAdditional major support has been provided by Comcast Business, Recology, the Hotel and Lodging Association of California, I.A.T.S.I Local 16, San Francisco Travel and United Airlines.

“Tourism is the number one economic multiplier of San Francisco,” said Kevin Carroll, Hotel Council President and CEO. “Now that our hotels are allowed to open, we must be prepared for the new normal of the living-with-COVID era.  Our ongoing series of educational webinars are designed to prepare out hospitality professionals as we welcome back travelers to San Francisco.”

Special guest speakers include Caroline Beteta of Visit California on Calling all Californians: Looking at a Road to Recovery; Vik Krishnan of McKinsey and Company with “Hospitality in the New Normal”; Howard Pickett of San Francisco Travel with “A Look Forward” and Danny Borelis of I.A.T.S.E. Local 16 discussing “How to Leverage Technology to Optimize Your Self-contained Meetings.” There will be two expert panels. First “Working Together to Restore the Hospitality and Travel Industry” moderated by Sally Smith of the Expedia Group with participants Kelly Reehoorn of the Expedia Group; Jaqueline Volkart of the St. Regis Hotel; Melinda Franklin with United Airlines; and Dana Cariss of Coral Tree Hospitality. The event’s final presentation will be moderated by nationally-syndicated “Techish” columnist for USA Today and CNN contributor Jennifer Jolly entitled “Embracing Technology in an Everchanging World.” Participants are Kristee Cominiello of Comcast Business, Mark Beevor of Hotel Zetta, David Lewin with the Grand Hyatt San Francisco and Gwen Purtell of Deep Blue.

The Hotel Council of San Francisco is a non-profit membership-based organization advocating for the economic and social vitality of the hospitality industry in San Francisco. Their membership roster includes over 200 hotels, allied members, and partner organizations. The Hotel Council is dedicated to protecting the San Francisco hospitality industry and connecting its members to support the growth and success of the industry.

NACD Northern California Celebrates LGBTQ Diversity in the Boardroom

In Honor of National Coming Out Day, NACD Northern California Chapter Celebrates LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors and Diversity in the Boardroom 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 9, 2020) – The NACD Northern California Chapter, the advocate for the profession of directorship in the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley and Sacramento, released a video series documenting the experiences of LGBTQ+ corporate directors in anticipation of this Sunday’s National Coming Out Day.

“Diversity of thought and experience is an imperative in the boardroom,” said Kim Box, chair of the NACD Northern California Chapter. “Leaders who build strong boards must drive progress to ensure diversity is a priority. It will serve to broaden representation, creativity, and business oversight. The time is now to advance this agenda. It will result in better overall governance as we move into the future.”

The NACD Northern California Chapter’s traditional gatherings celebrating diversity in the boardroom are being converted to a virtual environment this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewers will be able to enjoy prerecorded interviews with prominent LGBTQ+ directors in a presentation designed to spark conversation about diversity in the boardroom. It is also intended to inspire a cohort of future directors and advance their connectivity with the board community in the year ahead.

The presentation is introduced by David Eugene Perry, board member of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, board president and founder emeritus of the Rainbow Honor Walk, and CEO of DP&A Inc. The video features directors including Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez, board member of Recology, Pacific School of Religion, and Ignite Institute for Leadership Innovation Leadership Council; Vasudev Bailey, board member of Eko, Unnatural Products, Aether, IDbyDNA, Freenome, Climax Foods, Lemonaid Health, Association for Women in Sciences, Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering, and The Trevor Project;Torrence Boone, board member of Macy’s, Finish Line, and Pond5, and vice president of Google;Laurence Colton, board member ofRecology, Digicom Learning, and The Palm Springs LGBTQ Center; Matt Fust, board member of Atara Biotherapeutics, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical; Dr. Sandra Hernandez, board member of Covered California, and president and CEO of California Health Care Foundation; Dr. Vivienne Ming, board member ofOptoCeutics, andfounder and executive chair of Socos Labs; andTodd Pierce, board member ofDignity Health and Rock Health, and president of Good Group.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 979 (AB-979)on September 30, 2020. The bill requires all publicly held companies headquartered in California to have at least one underrepresented community represented on its corporate board by December 31, 2021, and potentially up to three by December 31, 2022. An underrepresented community refers to an individual who self-identifies as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Alaska Native, or who self-identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. 

NACD studies find that boards and investors agree that diversity in the boardroom is a business imperative. Seventy-four percent of private company respondents to an NACD survey report that diversity is an imperative for board success, and 69 percent see value in increasing diversity on their own board. Further, 93 percent of board members report that the primary value they see in board diversity is the broader perspective and expertise it fosters. The NACD Resource Center on Diversity and Inclusion and the NACD Directorship Power of Difference offer further insights about advancing diversity in the boardroom.

The NACD Northern California Chapter program page offers details about the virtual program and its speakers. Individuals interested in networking and discussions about issues impacting corporate boards with a diverse group of participants are encouraged to sign up and participate in future discussions

About the NACD Northern California Chapter

NACD Northern California provides a forum for NACD members to exchange knowledge and discuss leading boardroom practices in the Bay Area. NACD’s 20+ chapters enhance the value of NACD membership by providing directors with a local forum to address governance challenges in order to elevate their board’s performance. Members enjoy peer-to-peer dialogue about critical boardroom issues such as cyber risk, CEO succession planning, activism, and leadership. To learn more about NACD Northern California, please visit northerncalifornia.NACDonline.org.

About NACD

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) empowers more than 21,000 directors to lead with confidence in the boardroom. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD helps boards strengthen investor trust and public confidence by ensuring that today’s directors are well prepared for tomorrow’s challenges. World-class boards join NACD to elevate performance, gain foresight, and instill confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and corporate governance stakeholders, NACD has been setting the standard for responsible board leadership for 40 years. 

To learn more about NACD, visit www.NACDonline.org. To become an NACD member, please contact us at Join@NACDonline.org or 571-367-3708. If you are already a member, contact your NACD Membership Advisor at MembershipAdvisor@NACDonline.org to ensure that you are receiving the best value from your membership. 

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For further information please contact

Lisa Spivey 
programs@NorthernCalifornia.NACDonline.org 
(415) 333-6800