HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-31 City Council Agenda Packet
City Council
1
Monday, August 31, 2020
Special Meeting
6:00 PM
Agenda posted according to PAMC Section 2.04.070.
***BY VIRTUAL TELECONFERENCE ONLY***
https://zoom.us/join Meeting ID: 362 027 238 Phone:1(669)900-6833
Pursuant to the provisions of California Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, issued
on March 17, 2020, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, this meeting will be held
by virtual teleconference only, with no physical location. The meeting will be
broadcast on Cable TV Channel 26, live on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto, and Midpen Media Center at
https://midpenmedia.org. Members of the public who wish to participate by
computer or phone can find the instructions at the end of this agenda. To
ensure participation in a particular item, we suggest calling in or connecting online
15 minutes before the item you wish to speak on
TIME ESTIMATES Time estimates are provided as part of the Council's effort to manage its time at Council meetings. Listed times are estimates only and are subject to change at any time, including while the meeting is in progress. The Council
reserves the right to use more or less time on any item, to change the order of items and/or to continue items to
another meeting. Particular items may be heard before or after the time estimated on the agenda. This may occur in order to best manage the time at a meeting or to adapt to the participation of the public. To ensure
participation in a particular item, we suggest arriving at the beginning of the meeting and remaining until the item
is called.
Call to Order
Special Orders of the Day
1. Interviews of Candidates for the Human Relations Commission and
Public Art Commission
Oral Communications
Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda. Council reserves the right to limit the duration of Oral Communications period to 30 minutes.
Adjournment
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA):
Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities, services or programs or who
would like information on the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact (650) 329-2550 (Voice) 24 hours in advance.
2 August 31, 2020
Public Comment Instructions
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference
meetings via email, teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to
city.council@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted
through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on
the link below to access a Zoom-based meeting. Please read the
following instructions carefully.
A. You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in-
browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a
current, up-to-date browser: Chrome 30+, Firefox 27+,
Microsoft Edge 12+, Safari 7+. Certain functionality may be
disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer.
B. You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We
request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible
online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak.
C. When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise
hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn.
Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.
D. When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.
E. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your
comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted
through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, download
the Zoom application onto your phone from the Apple App Store or
Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B-E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number
listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on
your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to
provide your first and last name before addressing the Council. You
will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit
your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted.
https://zoom.us/join Meeting ID: 362 027 238 Phone:1(669)900-6833
CITY OF PALO ALTO OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
August 31, 2020
The Honorable City Council
Palo Alto, California
Interviews of Candidates for the Human Relations Commission and
Public Art Commission
On Monday, August 10, 2020, City Council selected the following applicants to interview
for the Human Relations Commission (HRC) and the Public Art Commission (PAC). The
City Council will be scheduled to vote to appoint candidates on Monday, September 14,
2020.
Human Relations Commission
The six HRC applicants to be interviewed are as follows: 10-minute interviews
1. Nilofer Chollampat 6:20 P.M.
2. Sunita de Tourreil 6:00 P.M.
3. Sofia Fojas 6:50 P.M.
4. Curt Kinsky 6:30 P.M.
5. David Villaseca Morales This application has been withdrawn
6. Paula Rugg 6:10 P.M.
7. Lestina Trainor 6:40 P.M.
There is one open position (Xue resignation), with a partial term ending May 31, 2021
on the Human Relations Commission
Public Art Commission
The four PAC applicants to be interviewed are as follows: 10-minute interviews
1. Marilyn Gottlieb-Robert 7:10 P.M.
2. Hsinya Shen (Incumbent) 7:40 P.M.
3. Harriet Stern 7:20 P.M.
4. Nia Taylor (Incumbent) 7:30 P.M.
There are two open positions (Shen, Taylor) with three-year terms ending May 31,
2023 on the Public Art Commission.
Copies of the applications have been provided to the City Council and are attached to
this staff report. Some personal information has been redacted at the request of the
applicants.
Background
Human Relations Commission (Municipal Code Section 2.22)
Page 2
2.22.010 Membership
There is created a Human Relations Commission composed of five members who are
not council members, officers or employees of the city, who are residents of the city,
and who shall be appointed by the city council.
2.22.050 Jurisdiction
(a) The Human Relations Commission has the discretion to act with respect to any
human relations matter when the commission finds that any person or group does not
benefit fully from public or private opportunities or resources in the community, or is
unfairly or differently treated due to factors of concern to the commission.
(1) Public or private opportunities or resources in the community include, but are
not limited to, those associated with ownership and rental of housing, employment,
education and governmental services and benefits.
(2) Factors of concern to the commission include, but are not limited to,
socioeconomic class or status, physical condition or handicap, married or unmarried
state, emotional condition, intellectual ability, age, sex, sexual preference, gender
identity, race, cultural characteristics, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship, and
religious, conscientious or philosophical belief.
(b) The commission shall conduct such studies and undertake such responsibilities
as the council may direct.
Public Art Commission (Municipal Code Section 2.18)
2.18.010 Membership
There is created a Public Art Commission composed of five members who are not
council members, officers, or employees of the city, and who shall be appointed by the
city council
2.18.070 Jurisdiction
(a) Art in Public Places. The public art commission shall perform the duties and shall
have the responsibilities specified in Chapter 2.26 of this title.
(b) Additional Duties. The public art commission shall perform such other duties and
undertake such other responsibilities as the city council may direct from time to time.
(c) Interaction with Other City Bodies. If the functions of the public art commission
overlap the functions of another city committee, commission, board, task force, or the
like, the director of arts and culture, in cooperation with the public art commission and
such other city body, shall devise a procedure for coordinating such functions to avoid
duplication of efforts, to maximize cooperation between the city bodies, and to utilize
the expertise of the various city bodies in a manner most compatible with the public
welfare.
(d) Interaction with City Departments. The chief building official shall determine
whether a proposed work of art is a mural or a sign under Section 16.20.011(a)(10) of
this code prior to review by the public art commission.
Page 3
ATTACHMENTS:
• Attachment A: HRC and PAC Applications- Interviews (PDF)
Department Head: Beth Minor, City Clerk
Page 4
HRC and PAC Applications
Board and Commission Interviews- August 31, 2020
Human Relations Commission:
1.Nilofer Chollampat 6:20 P.M.
2.Sunita de Tourreil 6:00 P.M.
3.Sofia Fojas 6:50 P.M.
4.Curt Kinsky 6:30 P.M.
5.Paula Rugg 6:10 P.M.
6.Lestina Trainor 6:40 P.M.
Public Art Commission:
1.Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts 7:10 P.M.
2.Hsinya Shen (Incumbent) 7:40 P.M.
3.Harriet Stern 7:20 P.M.
4.Nia Taylor (Incumbent) 7:30 P.M.
Human Relations Commission
Personal Information – Note: The HRC regularly meets the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for? __ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you or your spouse have an investment in, or do you or your spouse serve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto? __ Yes __ No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Human Relations Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__ Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: (621 characters)
Page 1
Human Relations Commission
Please email all completed applications to Jessica.Brettle@CityofPaloAlto.org or City.Clerk@CityofPaloAlto.org
City Clerk's Office: 650-329-2571
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: (1242 characters)
1. What is it about the Human Relations Commission that is compatible with your experience and
of specific interest to you, and why? (1518 characters)
Page 2
Human Relations Commission
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archived video from the Midpen Media Center: LINK (1449 characters)
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Human Relations Commission
achieve, and why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? (1656 characters)
Page 3
Human Relations Commission
4.Human Relations Commission Members work with the documents listed below. If you have
experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these
documents is not required for selection. (690 characters)
Human Services Needs Assessment LINK
Muni Code 9.72 – Mandatory Response Program LINK
Community Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: (Please type or sign)____________________________________ Date: _____________
Page 4
Human Relations Commission
+XPDQ5HODWLRQV&RPPLVVLRQ
Personal Information ±1RWH 7KH+5&UHJXODUO\PHHWVWKHVHFRQG7KXUVGD\RIWKHPRQWKDW SP
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home / __Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?__ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you RU\RXUVSRXVHhave an investment in, or do you RU\RXUVSRXVHserve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you RU\RXUVSRXVHown real property in Palo Alto?__ Yes __ No
How did you Oearn about the vacancy on the Human Relations Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__ Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: FKDUDFWHUV
Page 1
Human Relations Commission
1MFBTFFNBJMBMMDPNQMFUFEBQQMJDBUJPOTUP+FTTJDB#SFUUMF!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSHPS$JUZ$MFSL!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSH
$JUZ$MFSLhT0GGJDF
SUNITA DE TOURREIL
sunita@chocolatedividends.org
✔
PALO ALTO CORONAVIRUS REPORT
MASTERS of SCIENCE, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND HUMAN GENETICS
Worked at UCSF with dying patients with Creutzfeldt Jakob
disease, collaborating with nurses, orderlies, local businesses,
doctors, scientists all working together to develop a diagnostic
test.
Founded and built a business that built diverse community in Palo
Alto between 2010 and 2018 (The Chocolate Garage) and addressed
bringing transparency, accountability and activism to the cocoa
supply chain. Also lead luxury educational trips to the global
south, to educate and open minds towards other cultures.
Single mom to two kids going to school in Palo Alto.
SUNITA DE TOURREIL
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: FKDUDFWHUV
1. What is it about the Human Relations Commission that is compatible with your experience and
of specific interest to you, and why? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 2
Human Relations Commission
Self-employed, HAPPY CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCES LLC
ENTREPRENEUR
Volunteer at Addison Elementary School with Project Cornerstone
(social emotional learning) and other activities at Addison and
Girls Middle School.
Started attending City Hall Meetings in early 2020. Spoke at one,
inquiring about a police incident that I observed.
Trained as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in
2005-2006.
Multiple community events through my social enterprise, around
educating around supply chains, around using your purchasing
choices to bring about change in the world.
I am open, curious, smart and I desire seeing stronger more resilient
and inclusive communities, where we move from love and not from fear.
I have excellent interpersonal skills, I am used to working with
different parties, with different backgrounds and goals. I speak
English, French and Spanish, and bring a cultural understanding with
this language fluency.
I feel I bring different cultural experiences and practices, having
traveled a great deal in both the global south, as well as the global
north.
I give people the benefit of the doubt, and believe that humans are
decent and are doing the best they can with the tools that they have.
I think all these skills are needed for the Human Relations Commission,
and I would dedicate myself to listening to more of the community I
would be serving. I want to see a Palo Alto that helps everyone feel
like they are welcome, they belong and are safe.
SUNITA DE TOURREIL
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archiveGYLGHRIURPWKH0LGSHQ0HGLD&HQWHU:LINK FKDUDFWHUV
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Human Relations Commission
achieve, and why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 3
Human Relations Commission
I am interested in seeing more transparency and accountability around diversity, so that
we include more voices, and more compassion in our city policies.
I am interested in this as a biracial cisgender woman raising two white identified kids,
as a single mom in a culture of white male supremacy. My white kids voices will likely be
more listened to, and heard, than their black and brown friends and family members.
In addition to raising them to understand their white privilege and then be moved to use
that privilege to help protect and give voices to those who aren't being listened to, I
want to take part in our local community, as a minority biracial resident of Palo Alto.
I have benefited from much of the privilege that is bestowed upon affluent white
families, having immigrant parents with graduate degrees and growing up in Canada and
getting a graduate degree. I want to be aware of this privilege and use my skills to
listen to those who have less voice.
I also want to use my immigrant experience to bring a fresh look at our cultural short
sightedness and broaden the conversations we are having and the solutions we are
considering.
I want to ensure that the recent policies around diversity and
improvements to the policing systems in Palo Alto continue to be
evaluated and improved upon.
I think continuing to invite community members and various
experts in this area to speak on panels, and answer HRC members
questions, to dig deeply into these issues, and come up with
creative and compassionate solutions, is one way to more deeply
understand the legacies of our past, and find new ways to build
better systems for the future.
I think engagement with organizations already started by our
local youth, and deep listening and learning from our next
generation of leaders, is critical. Engaging them to help us
achieve our goals, and guide our solutions.
SUNITA DE TOURREIL
4. Human Relations Commission Members work with the documents listed below. If you have
experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these
documents is not required for selection. FKDUDFWHUV
Human Services Needs Assessment LINK
Muni Code 9.72 – Mandatory Response Program LINK
Community Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home / __Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: 3OHDVHW\SHRUVLJQ ____________________________________Date: _____________
Page 4
Human Relations Commission
July 9, 2020
I do not have experience with any of these documents.
SUNITA DE TOURREIL
+XPDQ5HODWLRQV&RPPLVVLRQ
Personal Information ±1RWH 7KH+5&UHJXODUO\PHHWVWKHVHFRQG7KXUVGD\RIWKHPRQWKDW SP
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home /__Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident?__ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?__ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you RU\RXUVSRXVHhave an investment in, or do you RU\RXUVSRXVHserve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you RU\RXUVSRXVHown real property in Palo Alto?__ Yes __ No
How did you Oearn about the vacancy on the Human Relations Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: FKDUDFWHUV
Page 1
Human Relations Commission
1MFBTFFNBJMBMMDPNQMFUFEBQQMJDBUJPOTUP+FTTJDB#SFUUMF!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSHPS$JUZ$MFSL!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSH
$JUZ$MFSLhT0GGJDF
Sofia Fojas
3371 Park Blvd, Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650)339-5596
slfojas@gmail.com
✔
✔
I am an arts administrator for the Santa Clara County Office of
Education and have teaching credential in Music as well as a
Master's of Educational Leadership and an administrative
credential. I am a 26-year veteran in public education and have
worked in schools serving students of color living in poverty. I
have been involved in racial equity work in the arts both at the
local level, state level in my work with the California Alliance
for Arts Education and at the national level on the Racial Equity
Committee for the National Guild for Community Arts.
Sofia Fojas
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: FKDUDFWHUV
1. What is it about the Human Relations Commission that is compatible with your experience and
of specific interest to you, and why? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 2
Human Relations Commission
Santa Clara County Office of Education
Arts Coordinator
My work in public education has always been focused on students
needing the most supports. I began as a music teacher in Stockton
and then took a job in San Jose where I taught in arts programs
funded under the Desegregation order in the 1970s. I have been a
champion of arts and culture in my tenure as a teacher and served on
the Bay Section Board of the California Music Educators' Association
(CMEA)and the State chapter of CMEA as the Multicultural
Representative, connecting teachers to cultural arts organizations
in professional development sessions toward expanding what the arts
could be in reaching students and families of color. In 2008, I was
in the first class of First Act Silicon Valley's Multicultural Arts
Leadership Initiative, a training program for young arts leaders. I
served on the board of the California Alliance for Arts Education
for two years in 2017 and am a member of the Racial Equity Committee
on the board of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. In
my current position, I and my new team will be delivering
professional learning through a strong equity lens in supporting
districts using a model of shared leadership between higher
education, K-12 and arts organizations in the county.
As a 26-year veteran in public education and a child of
immigrants, I first became aware of the work of the Human Rights
Commission in my work in San Francisco in 2016. I had several
opportunities to work with members of the SF HRC staff around the
development of equitable arts experiences for students in the
Bayview. I have always been civic minded and have been aware of
my acquired privilege through education and my influence and
positional authority in the arena of arts education locally, at
the state level and nationally. In my work around arts equity and
particularly in these times of racial disparity, the pandemic and
economic instability, I see the inequities played out in
education as a symptom of a larger systemic imbalance. My
interests in serving families have extended beyond education to
address issues in housing, health access, economic opportunity
and crime and social justice issues. The Human Rights Commission
is an important vehicle for addressing these issues in Palo Alto
and I want to bring my experiences and skillset in education as a
voice on the Human Rights Commission.
Sofia Fojas
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archiveGYLGHRIURPWKH0LGSHQ0HGLD&HQWHU:LINK FKDUDFWHUV
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Human Relations Commission
achieve, and why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 3
Human Relations Commission
I have been particularly interested in the reexamination of
police services in our cities in light of the death of George
Floyd as it relates to '8 Can't Wait'. As an educator, I have
seen the increased presence of the police on our school campuses,
especially apparent in schools where students of color are
present. Palo Alto has always been a city in a bubble but I have
been made aware of the unequal treatment of people of color in
our city. I am a proud member of the Ventura neighborhood and am
very much aware of its poor reputation even as it is the
neighborhood founded on redlining and segregation. I am
interested in looking at the role of the police in our city and
finding ways to disrupt the racialized outcomes that people of
color and those living in poverty encounter in their interactions
with police.
The specific goals I would like to address on the Human Rights
Commission are: '8 Can't Wait' and reexamining the role of the
police; homelessness and the unhoused; and youth development and
diversity in moving away from a culture of excellence and
competition, towards the development of empathy and social
emotional learning. I imagine engaging the arts organizations and
funders in this region to develop programs for community members
to have conversations with each other through arts activities and
experiences. We have Stanford University in our midst to bring in
as a partner in this work as well as a arts and culture
organizations in the county who would gladly pivot towards civic
engagement while we are sheltering in place. The schools could
also be a partner in this work around youth development and
well-rounded education and the building of empathy through the
arts to prepare for a 21st century world that is sure to look
different than what we know to exist now.
Sofia Fojas
4. Human Relations Commission Members work with the documents listed below. If you have
experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these
documents is not required for selection. FKDUDFWHUV
Human Services Needs Assessment LINK
Muni Code 9.72 – Mandatory Response Program LINK
Community Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home / __Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: 3OHDVHW\SHRUVLJQ ____________________________________Date: _____________
Page 4
Human Relations Commission
07/21/2020
While I have heard about a couple of these documents, I have no
direct experience with them.
Sofia Fojas
+XPDQ5HODWLRQV&RPPLVVLRQ
Personal Information ±1RWH 7KH+5&UHJXODUO\PHHWVWKHVHFRQG7KXUVGD\RIWKHPRQWKDW SP
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home /__Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident?__ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?__ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you RU\RXUVSRXVHhave an investment in, or do you RU\RXUVSRXVHserve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you RU\RXUVSRXVHown real property in Palo Alto?__ Yes __ No
How did you Oearn about the vacancy on the Human Relations Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: FKDUDFWHUV
Page 1
Human Relations Commission
1MFBTFFNBJMBMMDPNQMFUFEBQQMJDBUJPOTUP+FTTJDB#SFUUMF!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSHPS$JUZ$MFSL!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSH
$JUZ$MFSLhT0GGJDF
Curt B. Kinsky
1675 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
4088939273
curt.b.kinsky@outlook.com
✔
30 years with Ernst & Young, a global professional services firm
21 years as a Principal leading multi-racial, gender diverse
teams in delivering international tax services
17 years abroad (Amsterdam, Milan, London, Paris, Shanghai, and
Hong Kong) with exposure to multi-cultural teams and issues
Bachelor of Arts (1985; double major) in English and History from
Kenyon College
Master of Management (1996)in Marketing from Kellogg Graduate
School of Management of Northwestern University
Master of Arts (degree not yet conferred; 1987)in International
Relations from The University of Chicago
INSEAD Executive Education
Curt B. Kinsky
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: FKDUDFWHUV
1. What is it about the Human Relations Commission that is compatible with your experience and
of specific interest to you, and why? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 2
Human Relations Commission
Ersnt & Young LLP
Principal, International Tax Services
I have been an active volunteer with All Star Project Development
School for Youth in San Francisco. Here we bring forward
underprivileged high school student and provide them
opportunities for workplace advancement they would not otherwise
have.
Honestly, my Palo Alto community involvement to date has been
minimal to nonexistent. I view this application to the HRC as a
first step towards engagement. NOW means now. I have to get
involved; contribute to my community. After three decades of
professional services experience at the highest levels across the
globe, I know I have much to offer.
In my business career, I have led teams across the globe with
members from diverse ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and gender
characteristics. This has given me insight into the fundamental
societal issues of the day. Given the extraordinary tumult we
are living through, I believe my experience at finding common
ground amongst diverse team members will prove invaluable to the
Commission.
To me, at this point in time, the bottom line is very simple:
NOW means now - I have to find a way to be involved and to make a
contribution. I honestly believe my proven ability to team and
find common solutions amongst diverse members is accretive to the
important work of the commission.
Curt B. Kinsky
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archiveGYLGHRIURPWKH0LGSHQ0HGLD&HQWHU:LINK FKDUDFWHUV
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Human Relations Commission
achieve, and why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 3
Human Relations Commission
8 Can't Wait
The July meeting of the Commission was an important public forum
discussion regarding policing in our community.
I believe the implementation of 8 Can't Wait is extremely
important and needs to be done now. However, this cannot be the
only steps taken to reform our approach towards policing. Many
are skeptical of these reforms citing they are too superficial to
have any meaningful impact. While this premise remains to be
proven, it none the less demonstrates the need to do more and
think/act deeper.
However, I believe we cannot go from a standing start to a full
sprint without taking a few initial accelerating steps. We need
to create positive momentum by putting in place the 8 reforms and
using this as a platform to evolve further. We cannot afford the
time to ignore these relatively straightforward recommendations
at the expense of laborious discourse on deeper changes.
Goal #1: Civil community discourse.
If we are to accomplish any fundamental changes in our society,
they must be premised on coalescing people with diverse views.
We have to improve our capability to listen. I would accomplish
this goal by leveraging my team building capabilities and cross
cultural acumen to build positive consensus around issues.
Goal #2: Diversification without coercion
Palo Alto has diversity in its population and thinking. However,
from the outside, it appears a Wonder Bread society. We have to
find ways to bring forward the diversity resident in our society.
In doing so, we need also to adhere to goal #1 and not force
people into positions just to demonstrate diversity. There has
been some internal conflict on the HRC and this has lead to a
lack of confidence in the workings of the Commission.
Curt B. Kinsky
4. Human Relations Commission Members work with the documents listed below. If you have
experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these
documents is not required for selection. FKDUDFWHUV
Human Services Needs Assessment LINK
Muni Code 9.72 – Mandatory Response Program LINK
Community Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home / __Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: 3OHDVHW\SHRUVLJQ ____________________________________Date: _____________
Page 4
Human Relations Commission
I do not have experience with these documents.
However, in my three decades of work in professional services, I
have operated under strict governance guidelines (some of which I
have helped define/write) and thus am comfortable working in
environments such as those described in the three links above.
Curt B. Kinsky
+XPDQ5HODWLRQV&RPPLVVLRQ
Personal Information ±1RWH 7KH+5&UHJXODUO\PHHWVWKHVHFRQG7KXUVGD\RIWKHPRQWKDW SP
Name:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for? __ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you RU\RXUVSRXVHhave an investment in, or do you RU\RXUVSRXVHserve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you RU\RXUVSRXVHown real property in Palo Alto? __ Yes __ No
How did you Oearn about the vacancy on the Human Relations Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__ Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: FKDUDFWHUV
Page 1
Human Relations Commission
1MFBTFFNBJMBMMDPNQMFUFEBQQMJDBUJPOTUP+FTTJDB#SFUUMF!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSHPS$JUZ$MFSL!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSH
$JUZ$MFSLhT0GGJDF
Paula Rugg
Bonnie94306@yahoo.com
✔
BA in Education MA in Education Administration. Public School Adminstration - 23 years. CERT - Fremont and Palo Alto
Paula Rugg
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: FKDUDFWHUV
1. What is it about the Human Relations Commission that is compatible with your experience and
of specific interest to you, and why? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 2
Human Relations Commission
Fremont Unified School District
School Principal
I am a Board Member and Operations Lead for the Democratic Volunteer Center. My main tasks are encouraging volunteers to engage in the democratic process, register voters, walk precincts, and host speaker events. I have been a member of the League of Women Voters. Helping my neighbors in times of a disaster is important to me. Through the Office of Emergency Services I
was trained to be a PANDA and recently became a Block Preparedness Coordinator in Midtown. I appreciate what Palo Alto offers in the fine arts as a member of the Cantor Arts Museum and by taking painting classes at the Pacific Art League. I stay informed about our community's issues through the Midtown Residents Association and by attending or watching on cable TV City Council meetings. I enjoy learning at the Palo Alto Adult School, am a member of the Ross
Road YMCA and shop and dine locally. I am proud to be a Palo Alto Resident and Homeowner for22 years and that my son is a Gunn High School graduate.
My interest in serving as a member of the Human Relations Commission stems from my lifelong focus on social welfare, social interaction, and social justice, and a 40 year career as an educator. The culmination of my worklife was my final 18 years as the principal of Ardenwood School, avery large (840+ students) elementary school, in Fremont. I had the joyous opportunity to lead the school's int
egration of a character education program which over the 18 years transformed an ordinary school into an extraordinary one. Responsibility, caring, honesty, respect for others, citizenship, planning and decision making, problem solving, and integrity were our guiding values. These "8 Great Traits" were taught by teachers, modeled by adults, and committed to by all members of the school community (including parents). Gradually the campus became a safer, more tolerant, m
ore welcoming environment. Not only did grades increase and student misconduct decrease, the positive school climate was palpable and lead to the school receiving a California Blue Ribbon Distinguished School Award. I have a deep desire to have my town be as good as it can be. I
want to use my experience in building consensus with various constituents around values based decision making to develop Palo Alto to an even better place to call home.
Paula Rugg
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archiveGYLGHRIURPWKH0LGSHQ0HGLD&HQWHU: LINK FKDUDFWHUV
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Human Relations Commission
achieve, and why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 3
Human Relations Commission
The Safe Parking Pilot Program was brought to my attention a few months ago through my congregation's social action committee. Immediately I emailed my support of the Pilot Program to the City Council and soon watched the Members' discussion on TV. I walked around my neighborho
od and visualized vehicles in the large most of the time empty parking lots of 4 churches within a five minute stroll of my home. I imagined how neighbors might respond; the good, the bad, and t
he ugly. Economic disparity resulting in homelessness and people sleeping in their vehicles is growing in our community and throughout the Bay Area. Wishing it away or ignoring it, is not a solution. It is not an easily addressed issue by a single social service agency or by a local government.
It is a problem that takes a multigroup coodinated effort with advanced community awareness and engagement to even try to make an impact. I am pleased the City of Palo Alto has developed the Safe Parking Pilot Program and would diligently work on helping it succeed. The success of the program requires a tolerant citizenship willing to work and live respectfully with others.
I would like to see the Human Relations Commission take a role in the Safe Parking Pilot Program. Working with City Staff, program providers, congregations, and Palo Alto residents around this issue is a concrete way to bring the words of the HRC mission statement "a community where ci
vility, respect and responsible action are the norm" in to motion. The HRC can work with the stakeholders to promote awareness of the Program; host forums, knock on doors, meet with Residen
ts Associations and congregation members, facilitate press announcements, post on Social Media, etc. The communication must reach as many residents as possible to avoid those who come to the table late and slow the process down to a halt. The communication must actively address concer
ns and fears and lead to workable solutions. This means premeetings with facilitators and presenters about respectful listening and use of procedures for effect civil discourse around sensitive issues. The process and successful implementation of the Safe Parking Pilot Program can then be used to establish dialogues and protocols which will benefit implementation of future HRC goals.
Paula Rugg
4. Human Relations Commission Members work with the documents listed below. If you have
experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these
documents is not required for selection. FKDUDFWHUV
Human Services Needs Assessment LINK
Muni Code 9.72 – Mandatory Response Program LINK
Community Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: 3OHDVHW\SHRUVLJQ ____________________________________ Date: _____________
Page 4
Human Relations Commission
May 8, 2020
I do not have experience with these documents.
Midtown Resident
Bonnie94306@yahoo.com
Paula Rugg
Human Relations Commission
Personal Information – Note: The HRC regularly meets the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for? __ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you or your spouse have an investment in, or do you or your spouse serve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto? __ Yes __ No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Human Relations Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__ Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: (621 characters)
Page 1
Human Relations Commission
Please email all completed applications to Jessica.Brettle@CityofPaloAlto.org or City.Clerk@CityofPaloAlto.org
City Clerk's Office: 650-329-2571
Lestina Trainor
32 Roosevelt Circle
203 482 2262
203 482 2262
lestina.trainor1@gmail.com
4
Boston College, BA
Fordham University School of Law, JD
Member of the Bar: New York, Connecticut
Attorney 1998 - 2016
Lestina Trainor
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: (1242 characters)
1. What is it about the Human Relations Commission that is compatible with your experience and
of specific interest to you, and why? (1518 characters)
Page 2
Human Relations Commission
Self
Attorney
Board of Directors, Family & Childrens Aid 2005 - present
Guided executive team through tremendous growth and expansion over 15 years. Active in
developing board governance, overseeing agency programs, acquisition of real estate
and most recently, creating a task force to evaluate and implement changes to address
systemic racism and inequity agency-wide, including on the Board of Directors.
Board of Directors, League of Women Voters, Redding CT 2013 - 2019
In the wake of the Newtown Elementary school shooting, collected state-wide gun
violence data and prepared a comprehensive study. Regular speaker at luncheons & panel
discussions.
Board of Directors, Connecticut Against Gun Violence 2013 - 2017
Founding member of March for Change, a grassroots movement demanding sensible gun
legislation. Organized Valentines Day 2013 protest at the the state capitol building
in Hartford attended by approximately 10k. Testified before state congress on multiple
occasions.
Board of Directors, Ridgefield Academy 2006 - 2008
Drafted school mission statement for Diversity & Inclusion. Organized/hosted
fundraisers.
Chairperson, The Fresh Air Fund 2009 - 2016
Recruited and vetted families in Connecticut to be summertime hosts to chil
I recently moved to Palo Alto from the east coast. However, Ive spent a lifetime
visiting Palo Alto to see my grandparents and other relatives. So in some respects,
moving here feels a bit like coming home.
I have always been an active participant in my community. I inherited this trait from
both of my parents. Mom still tutors a linty of ESL students at the Mitchell Park and
Rinconada librariesthough shes well past retirement age; and dad too, was an active
volunteer teaching music in east bay schools until he passed away in 2009. I am eager
to find my own volunteer opportunities in town. Not only do I love lending my talents
to help make my community a better place, but I love meeting other people who share
the same interest.
Specifically, the HRC appeals to me because I have always been interested in
advocating for vulnerable populations. My parents adopted a 3 year old boy when I was
six. From that day on, I got an up close view of the many social/societal problems
that surrounded the circumstances of his adoption: why he was up for adoption in the
first place; the effects of foster care and multiple placements, the resulting
setbacks in education and socialization that my brother faced. It really shaped our
entire childhood. It also sparked my desire to study law with the intent of practicing
child advocacy. Although my first job offer led my law practice in a different
direction, I have continuously satisfied my need to serve and advocate for children
through my volunteer work.
Lestina Trainor
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archived video from the Midpen Media Center: LINK (1449 characters)
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Human Relations Commission
achieve, and why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? (1656 characters)
Page 3
Human Relations Commission
I just recently became aware of the HRC last week when I watched a Zoom
Virtual Town Hall presented by Embarcadero Media entitled Race, Policing and
the Color of Justice, sponsored by Palo Alto Online. I believe Police Chief
Bob Jonsen mentioned the HRC in connection with his anticipating input from
the Commission. I was so impressed by the discussion and panelists that I
immediately set out Googling each of the speakers and researching ways that I
could possibly could get involved with the conversation. The next day I
happened upon a You-Tube Q & A with Reverend Kaloma Smith, Chief Jonsen and
City Manager Ed Shikada. I was further intrigued, inspired and energized by
the panelists intelligence, optimism and willingness to engage on the tough
subjects of systematic racism and policing. In my volunteer work I have
chaired several Diversity & Inclusion Committees, drafted mission statements
and policies pertaining to equity, and evaluated institutions for implicit
bias, etc etc. Law school only deepened my understanding of issues surround
racial justice, constitutional law, and the criminal justice system. With a
father who hailed from Birmingham, Alabama and who had been a student
activist and personal associate of Martin Luther King, Jr. I have been
studying this topic for as long as I can remember. I believe my voice would
add great value to the HRC on this topic and beyond.
I would love to see the Human Relations Committee come up with a list of
recommendations to be adopted by PAPD that effect significant and meaningful
change. The goal: to have a reimagined system of policing in Palo Alto where
(ultimately) all residents feel safe and protected by PAPD. In just in the
short time that I have been a resident, I have been made aware of several
police incidents that definitely warrant further unpacking. I have also
been told about, and read several accounts by, residents who defiantly have a
deep (and warranted) distrust of the police. I feel strongly that now is the
time to make significant changes to benefit the community as a whole. I loved
the enthusiastic general consensus of Chiefs Jonsen, East PA Chief Pardini
and former East PA Chief Ron Davis, on the Embarcadero Media Virtual Town
Hall, that NOW is a unique opportunity to enact swift, meaningful and
impactful change.
I believe this can be accomplished by gathering as much anecdotal evidence as
we can. Looking for patterns; looking at existing policies and procedures and
evaluating if they are being followed or not. Then exploring how some
existing procedures may be problematic because they have a disparate impact
on Black people and POC.
I understand that PAPD is already quite close to meeting 8 Cant Wait
standard. Good, but I think we can go beyond that baseline. Id also love to
explore what changes could possibly be achieved by challenging police union
policies & state laws that sometimes diminish the authority of local police
chiefs.
Lestina Trainor
4.Human Relations Commission Members work with the documents listed below. If you have
experience with any of these documents, please describe that experience. Experience with these
documents is not required for selection. (690 characters)
Human Services Needs Assessment LINK
Muni Code 9.72 – Mandatory Response Program LINK
Community Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: (Please type or sign)____________________________________ Date: _____________
Page 4
Human Relations Commission
July 6, 2020
I have not worked with the specific documents attached. However
in my capacity as an attorney I am accustomed to working with
whatever document comes across my desk. I very much enjoy the
process of digesting new information and interpreting/analyzing
same.
Lestina Trainor
3XEOLF$UW&RPPLVVLRQ
Personal Information ±1RWH 7KH3$&UHJXODUO\PHHWVWKHWKLUG7KXUVGD\RIWKHPRQWKDW SP
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home / __Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for?__ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you RU\RXUVSRXVHhave an investment in, or do you RU\RXUVSRXVHserve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you RU\RXUVSRXVHown real property in Palo Alto?__ Yes __ No
How did you Oearn about the vacancy on the Public Art Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__ Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience,certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: FKDUDWHUV
Page 1
Public Art Commission
1MFBTFFNBJMBMMDPNQMFUFEBQQMJDBUJPOTUP+FTTJDB#SFUUMF!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSHPS$JUZ$MFSL!$JUZPG1BMP"MUPPSH
$JUZ$MFSLhT0GGJDF
Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts
763 East Charleston Road (seasonal)
305-323-9242
m427@bellsouth.net
✔
✔
My active career in the arts includes exhibits in the United
States and in Spain, Nigeria, England and Austria. 1980-2006 I
was tenured Professor of studio art and art history at Miami Dade
College,Miami FL;I taught a Master Class as a 1994 Visiting
Artist at Harvard University. MFA in Painting and Drawing from
the University of Miami in 1977. Published work includes an
invited essay in the proceedings of a conference at the Museum of
Science and Natural History published 2015 by the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific. I was a Teaching/Research Fulbright
Scholar to the University of Jos in Nigeria, 2000-2002.
Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: FKDUDFWHUV
1. What is it about the Public Art Commission that is compatible with your experience and of
specific interest to you, and why? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 2
Public Art Commission
Miami Dade College(Ret.)
Active professional artist
2006-2011
Executive Board, Interdisciplinary Sound Arts Workshop (iSAW), South Florida Composer’s
Alliance.
2006
Co-Producer,"Kwagh-hir",video documentary filmed in Nigeria.Director, Charles Recher.
2006
Academic Reviewer,"Janson’s History of Art, Western Tradition, 7th Edition" (Pearson/Prentice
Hall)
2004-2005
Invitee, National Science Foundation Math/Art Workshop; U Indiana & Franklin & Marshall
College.
2002
Editorial review,"Story" by Harold Scheub,"Africa Today", Indiana University Press.
2002
Referee, "African Studies Review", the African Studies Association Journal.
1998
“Fulani Astral Traditions and the Epic of Gilgamesh; A Comparative Study”, Sub-Saharan
Literature panel, African Studies Association Annual Meeting, Chicago IL.
1998
Site Ethnographer,"Internationalizing New Work in the Performing Arts",Ford Foundation, New
England Foundation for the Arts.
1995
Illustrations for"Deftere Ledde E Pudi"[Atlas of Fulani Traditional Botany], Fary Silaat Ka,
ARED Press, Dakar, Senegal.
1983-1986
Founding Director, Miami Waves Film & Performance Festival, Miami FL
Over time I’ve served on many cultural panels,including those managed by the Dade County
Cultural Affairs Council, the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, and National
Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.
I am an experienced artist, arts educator and cultural activist with a
record of service in a variety of community settings. Even though I am new
to Palo Alto, I have noticed that the Public Art Commission has promoted
art as an enriching source of community pride and enchantment, which is
what inspired me to submit this application.
Here are two concrete examples that are compatible with my experience and
whose challenge interests me:
Assuming interest from within Palo Alto's artistic community, I'd like to
develop workshops in the history,theory and practice of the public art
idiom.
I'd like to support creation of an artwork intended to encourage awareness
of the relation between the Palo Alto landscape and the overhead skyscape.
For example, a large scale "treasure hunt" model of our solar system with
durably cast scale models of the sun and planets. An artist might envision
the commission as flat images in sidewalks or on the sides of buildings, or
as durably cast objects (for example, a pumpkin for sun, lemon for Saturn,
etc.) mounted atop pedestals set in to-scale distances apart.
Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archiveGYLGHRIURPWKH0LGSHQ0HGLD&HQWHU:LINK FKDUDFWHUV
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Public Art Commission achieve, and
why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? FKDUDFWHUV
Page 3
Public Art Commission
I was working on an installation in a building that overlooked the
NYC Federal Courthouse where Richard Serra's "Tilted Arc" had just
been installed; quite a few of the judges and lawyers who labored
there were all hair-on-fire over it. I thought Serra had an
interesting point to make--both for the piece itself and for the
rumpus he fully intended to raise. The resulting controversy was
healthy--both for the questions it addressed to those laboring in
the halls of justice, and for publicizing the essential difference
between "plop art" and site-integrated art.
The furor created, on the other hand, by the "Digital DNA"
sculpture Adriana Varella and Nilton Maltz installed in Lytton
Plaza, while possibly ennobled by references to the "Tilted Arc"
controversy, was fundamentally different. Personally, I liked the
piece and its regional evocations, and I really liked it that the
community was hotly engaged pro and con in this eggsistential
controversy-- besides, how often does an art work get a crusading
editor to do its PR for it. However, because I assume Ms. Varella
was aware her work would likely be exposed to wear, I felt the
real issue was the choice of materials and finish; which left the
Commission with the difficult but necessary work of deaccession.
I'd love to see the Commission keep on doing what it's been
doing, and I'd love to be able to contribute to the effort.
Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts
4. Public Art Commission Members work with the document listed below. If you have experience
with this document, please describe that experience. Experience with this document is not
required for selection. FKDUDFWHUV
3XEOLF$UW0DVWHU3ODQ LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__Home / __Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: 3OHDVHW\SHRUVLJQ _______________________________________________ Date: _____________
Page 4
Public Art Commission
2020 May 4Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts
Page 1
Public Art Commission Hsinya Shen
__
__
__
__
__
__
Please email all completed applications to Jessica.Brettle@CityofPaloAlto.org or City.Clerk@CityofPaloAlto.org City Clerk’s Office: 650-329-2571 Public Art Commission
Personal Information - Note: The PAC regularly meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Name: Hsinya Shen
Address:
Cell Phone:
Home /
650-888-7052
Office Phone:
E-mail: Hsinyashen@yahoo.com
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? Yes No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for? __ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you or your spouse have an investment in, or do you or your spouse serve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? Yes No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto? Yes No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Public Art Commission?
Community Group
Email from City Clerk
Palo Alto Weekly
Daily Post
City Website
Flyer
Other: I currently serve on the Public Art Commission.
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: (621 charaters)
I have served on the Palo Alto Public Art Commission for the last 3 years and would
love the opportunity to continue to contribute based on all I have learned in the last 3
years.
Outside of the PAC, I am a life long student and appreciator of the arts. I studied Art
History at Wellesley College. I have spent significant time renovating properties and
landscape and community building within Palo Alto. I have a demonstrated interest in
community betterment and improvement through the arts.
Page 2
Public Art Commission Hsinya Shen
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Akamai Technologies, Inc.
Occupation: Attorney
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: (1311 characters)
I have served on the Palo Alto Public Art Commission for the last 3 years and would
love the opportunity to continue to contribute based on all I have learned in the last 3
years.
Outside of PAC, having served on the board of a community bank for nearly a decade, I
have supported community reinvestment and outreach programs. Also, leveraging my
legal background, I have provided community pro bono legal support, including
citizenship drive.
1. What is it about the Public Art Commission that is compatible with your experience and of
specific interest to you, and why? (1518 characters)
I believe art can cultivate the human spirit, enhance communication, and promote
relationships and community building. While Palo Alto is a suburban city in size and
location, it has an international draw and reach. Daily, Palo Alto also draws talents
from neighboring towns and brings together a wonderfully diverse population, many of
whom welcome the opportunity to get to know the city and connect with the community.
As a Palo Alto resident, I have often enjoyed artistic contributions from individual
families and businesses. Supplementing these efforts, I believe the Public Art
Commission, by investing in different areas of Palo Alto with diverse public art projects,
can create spaces and foster opportunities for people to meet, connect, participate, and
enrich our community.
Page 3
Public Art Commission Hsinya Shen
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archived video from the Midpen Media Center: LINK (1518 characters)
One particularly impressionable project for me was by a developer on University
Avenue. This developer insisted on spending its 1% public art commitment onsite and
ended up proposing a public art sculpture in a dangerous and invisible location, both
endangering pedestrians and detracting from the beauty of the building. It is always
the individual developer’s choice whether to contribute their 1% public art commitment
to the in-lieu pool. If we can show how successful public art projects funded by in-lieu
fund improve the city overall, we can hopefully inspire future developers to fulfill their
public art commitment with a contribution to the in-lieu fund when their onsite options
are limited.
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Public Art Commission achieve, and
why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? (1656 characters)
As a member of the Public Arts Commission, I would like to continue to support projects
like California Ave. Master Plan and policies related to important issues like
deaccession that will allow us to update public art projects in Palo Alto systematically.
Palo Alto is a diverse city by population. Palo Alto Public Art projects reflect its
population's diverse prospective, and it would be important to continue to ensure
diversity in our public artworks.
4. Public Art Commission Members work with the document listed below. If you have experience
with this document, please describe that experience. Experience with this document is not
required for selection. (759 characters)
Public Art Master Plan LINK
I have a great appreciation for the Public Art Master Plan. It helps Palo Alto public art
team to support an incredibly rich portfolio of short, medium, and long term projects all
over Palo Alto. Adhering to the missions and visions outlined in this plan will help the
public art team continue to deliver exciting public arts to the city.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address: C/O City of Palo Alto
Cell Phone:
Home /
650-888-7052
Office Phone:
E-mail: Hsinyashen@yahoo.com
Signature: (Please type or sign) Hsinya Shen Date:
4/20/20
Page 4
Public Art Commission
Public Art Commission
Personal Information – Note: The PAC regularly meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Name:
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes __ No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? __ Yes __ No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for? __ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you or your spouse have an investment in, or do you or your spouse serve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? __ Yes __ No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto? __ Yes __ No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Public Art Commission?
__ Community Group
__ Email from City Clerk
__ Palo Alto Weekly
__ Daily Post
__ City Website
__ Flyer
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration:
Page 1
Public Art Commission
Harriet Stern
1675 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
408-893-5199
jacobeatrice@gmail.com
X
X
X
X
X
X
BA, Art History, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio
MA Studies, Modern Art History ,Theory and Criticism, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Diploma, Interior Architecture, Inchbald School of Design, London
Internships: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C.; Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, IT
Chicago Park District, Archives Department; Art Institute of Chicago, Department of 20th Century Art
Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Assistant Director, White Pine Gallery, Chicago
Corporate Art Consultant, Merrill Chase Galleries, Chicago and Corporate Artworks, Schaumberg, IL
Curator, IBEW Local 1245, Vacaville, CA
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Occupation:
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations:
1.What is it about the Public Art Commission that is compatible with your experience and of
specific interest to you, and why?
Page 2
Public Art Commission
My last full-time employer was Corporate Artworks now located in Arlington Heights, IL.
There I served as an Art Consultant. Since living in Palo Alto I have free-lanced
as a curator for the IBEW Local 1245 in Vacaville.
In my community I have taken a number of classes at Pacific Art League, Mid-Peninsula Media Center, The Art Center.
I attend lectures and music at Stanford, visit arts programming often at all sorts of venues from open studios to the Anderson Collection
and everything in between. We attend lots of community and regional theater. I have kids in PAUSD since 2018.
I try to stay active and up to date with local and school affairs. For example I have been one of those people writing letters about the airplane noise!
Palo Alto Weekly subscriber!
My volunteering has been around school for the most part. I try to do one long-term commitment a year coupled with as many one-off
assignments possible. To give an example, these are my recent longer term volunteer commitments:
Odyssey of the Mind Coach, Elementary Division, The Harbour School, Hong Kong, World Championship Qualifiers, 2017
All Students Matter, Ravenswood School District, Weekly Literacy Volunteer, 2018/19
Palo Alto High School, Weekly Career Counselling Center Volunteer, 2019/2020
A first time visitor comes to Palo Alto City Hall and sees our new Black Lives Matter mural and engages with Cache Me If You Can.
They keep walking and see many examples of art around our city. With these public art works Palo Alto signals that creativity and
expression are celebrated here. These art works project our community’s values and vision. The Public Art Commission serves a critical role
in the direction of this vision—aesthetic and cultural. My specific interest in serving on The Commission is to maintain the public’s trust
and the responsible management of our community’s collections, future acquisitions and programming pursuant to our vision.
It is my opinion that art should be integral to our city. Palo Alto should support our local artists. We should engage partners to build
support for public art and I would like to help create awareness about the program and the collection with community outreach.
My experience as a Corporate Art Consultant would serve me well as a Commissioner as I often commissioned artists to create site specific work.
I have worked in both commercial and not-for-profit art environments.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission
meeting you can view an archived video from the Midpen Media Center: LINK.
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Public Art Commission achieve, and
why? How would you suggest accomplishing this?
Page 3
Public Art Commission
The Commission has addressed some interesting subjects recently that will be ongoing.
One which particularly resonates is that of cultural and racial equality in the field of public art.
The BLM mural project was immediate and inclusive, relevant and responsive.
How about reaching across the 101 and working with our brothers and sisters in EPA to create something together?
Expanding the reach and flexibility of public art interests me.
One issue I thought would come up was censoring Cece Carpio’s image of Assata Shakur but was happy to learn
there were only letters in support of keeping the mural as it stands.
Another issue that interested me was City Council’s recommendation to reduce the Public Art Commission from 7 to 5 Commissioners.
What is the net gain in that and is it just a recruitment issue? I would think that the PAC works best with seven diverse points
of view to put forth recommendations to City Council, especially as we seek cultural and racial equality in Palo Alto’s future public art goals.
Isn’t the river mightier with many tributaries than fewer?
As for the BLM mural, which is a huge success and a source of civic pride, it literally would have been difficult to achieve
with fewer physical bodies on the Commission. All the Commissioners worked overtime to make that happen seemingly overnight--
quite a remarkable effort at anytime but doubly so given our very unusual world in 2020.
World standards of public art and place-making are changing by the minute as we become more culturally and racially aware.
It is quite interesting that two years ago our own community renamed two middle schools because some inquisitive students
discovered that they are named after some old racists and whose ideologies were incompatible with our current civic vision.
This year third-rate Jim Crow-era monuments are being toppled from their plinths and the Washington Redskins are finally
being renamed—(when did Stanford drop the name Indians?). The Public Art Commission must always be sensitive that the
permanent public art Palo Alto creates today will be judged well in 100 years time. In the same breath, as a student of art history,
I revere monuments left by less than perfect societies of the past. How can we not be touched by the magic of Venice or
magnificence of Michelangelo’s Pieta or Sistine Chapel? Those sublime Vermeers and the riches of the Rijks Museum, all funded
less than ethically if we consider them through or 21st C. lens. These are the challenges those who leave lasting marks, no matter the
sector, must consider.
It is an exciting time to be in engaged in public art, to change-up the dialogue, to re-direct the discourse.
How the world communicates has changed so much since Palo Alto’s Public Art Program was established; it has changed so much in the past six months!
Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals by Zoom?
For me, the future of public art in Palo Alto reaches a wider community. It speaks to more people— engages across classes, races, ages and genders.
Maybe that is through social media and Submittable. Permanent installations need to reflect diversity.
Perhaps that means physically going into places we didn’t go before and creating flash events and ride-alongs.
Maybe it is making more temporary, ephemeral art that reacts to current events and that taps into the pulse of the moment.
No doubt the future of public art is more racially and culturally equitable in acquisitions and programming.
The recent BLM mural is a great example of a new wave of public art in PA—responsive, nimble, loads of submissions,
exciting and creating lots of interest and civic pride. (This is a great way to increase recruiting for the Public Art Commission as well).
I would also like to see Palo Alto teaming with neighboring communities to create art and build friendship and trust.
4.Public Art Commission Members work with the document listed below. If you have experience
with this document, please describe that experience. Experience with this document is not
required for selection.
Public Art Master Plan LINK
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” The full code is attached. This consent form will not
be redacted and will be attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
__ Home / __ Office Phone:
E-mail:
Signature: ________________________________________________________ Date: _____________
Page 4
Public Art Commission
07/21/20
X
Yes, I am familiar with the Master Plan. I attended a focus group with the authors and have read the final document.
I know that we are about halfway through the ten year plan.
The Master Plan has effectively established a professional approach to our Public Art Program and its administration.
The goals and timeline are very clearly stated.
The Cubberley Artist Studios are included in the Master Plan as a point of discussion.
It is my very strong opinion that if Cubberley is used for something else in the future,
Palo Alto should maintain subsidised artist studios somewhere within our city limits.
Artists enhance diversity of our community. They can't afford to be here without our support.
Page 1
Public Art Commission
__
__
__
__
__
__
Please email all completed applications to Jessica.Brettle@CityofPaloAlto.org or City.Clerk@CityofPaloAlto.org City Clerk’s Office: 650-329-2571
Public Art Commission
Personal Information - Note: The PAC regularly meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Name: Nia Taylor
Address:
Cell Phone:
Home /
Office Phone:
E-mail:
Are you a Palo Alto Resident? __ Yes No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who
are currently serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or Board Members? Yes No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied for? __ Yes __ No
California state law requires appointed board and commission members to file a detailed disclosure of
their financial interests, Fair Political Practices Commission, Conflict of Interest, Form 700.
Do you or your spouse have an investment in, or do you or your spouse serve as an officer or director
of, a company doing business in Palo Alto which you believe is likely to;
1) engage in business with the City,
2) provide products or services for City projects, or
3) be affected by decisions of the board or commission you are applying for? Yes No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse own real property in Palo Alto? Yes No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Public Art Commission?
Community Group
Email from City Clerk
Palo Alto Weekly
Daily Post
City Website
Flyer
Other: current commissioner
List relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, or professional
registration: (621 charaters)
Current Public Art Commissioner (Since May 2014)
Art Educator
MA in Visual Arts Administration
Minor in Art History
Page 2
Public Art Commission
Employment
Present or Last Employer:
Congregation Sherith Israel
Occupation: Membership & Development Manager
Describe your involvement in community activities, volunteer and civic organizations: (1311 characters)
Commissioner, City of Palo Alto Public Art Commission, May 2014 - present
Volunteer, Friends of Lafayette Park, 2014 - present. Once a month I clean and beautify Lafayette Park in San Francicso. The park is 3 blocks from my current place of employment. Volunteer, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, 2010 - present. I help the organization
package and deliver food packages for homebound seniors during Jewish holidays.
1. What is it about the Public Art Commission that is compatible with your experience and of
specific interest to you, and why? (1518 characters)
With a background in visual arts administration, art education, and art history, I love
creating, talking, and viewing art in all its forms. I am a firm believer that art, as much
as possible, should free and accessible to all people, hence the reason I initially
decided to apply for a position on the Public Art Commission. Since my tenure, I have
thoroughly enjoyed working with my fellow commissioners, public art advisors,
architects, and community members, to procure, and protect, public art that will
beautify and enhance the City of Palo Alto.
Page 3
Public Art Commission
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the Commission that is of particular interest
to you and describe why you are interested in it. If you have never been to a Commission meeting
you can view an archived video from the Midpen Media Center: LINK (1518 characters)
Although I enjoy all aspects of being on the Public Art Commission, I have become particulary
interested in our Percent for Art in Private Development Program. I especially like that it
encourages developers to a) support artists and the visual arts, and b) promote art as a cultutral resource for the community. Since joining the commission in 2014, we have supported a number
of Percent for Art in Private Development projects, many of which are currently on public view.
If given the opportunity to continue for another term, I hope that I will be able to inspire more
private developers to seek and display public art that is thought provoking and positively invites
public interaction.
3. If appointed, what specific goals would you like to see the Public Art Commission achieve, and
why? How would you suggest accomplishing this? (1656 characters)
Goal #1: Develop a marketing campaign (e.g. bus and newspaper ads, banners,
poster, etc.) that would promote and enhance the visibility of our wonderful collection.
Ways to meet goal: Contact local media outlets (Weekly, PA Daily Post, blogs) and ask
if they would publicize some of the works in our collection and/or enable us to place a
low-cost and/or free ad promoting the collection.
Goal #2: Enhance California and University Avenue by adding art inside empty store
fronts and/or art onto contrusction barriers.
Ways to meet goal: Ask artists (local and non-local, professional and novice) to submit
2-D works of art which we could hang inside empty storefronts and/or onto construction
barriers. (Fun fact: I had the pleasure of being on a panel to choose art for a
contrustion barrier behind California Avenue. It was a huge success.)
Page 4
Public Art Commission
4. Public Art Commission Members work with the document listed below. If you have experience
with this document, please describe that experience. Experience with this document is not
required for selection. (759 characters)
Public Art Master Plan LINK
I was on the commission when the Master Plan was being developed. I have also had the great
pleasure of being on the commission to implement many of the suggested recommendations. I
hope that I will have the opportunity to continue turning suggested recommendations into
actions should I be chosen to complete another term on the PAC.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
California Government Code Section 6254.21 states, in part, “No state or local agency shall post the
home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first
obtaining the written permission of that individual.” This consent form will not be redacted and will be
attached to the Application and posted to the City’s website.
The full code can be read here: LINK
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:
I give permission for the City of Palo Alto to post to the City’s website the attached Board and
Commission Application intact. I have read and understand my rights under Government Code
Section 6254.21. I may revoke this permission at any time by providing written notice to the Palo
Alto City Clerk.
OR
I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone numbers, and email address
from the attached Board and Commission Application prior to posting to the City’s website. I am
providing the following alternate information and request that they use the following contact
information instead.
Address:
Cell Phone:
Home /
E-mail:
Office Phone:
Signature: (Please type or sign)
Date: 3.31.2020