The Port Board elected Commissioner Pamela Calloway to serve as president of the board. Commissioner Gilda Gonzales was elected to serve as 1st vice president (1st VP) and the out-going Board President, Commissioner James W. Head, was elected 2nd VP. Board members recognized outgoing President Head for his service. Head stated, “I am appreciative of the opportunity to have served as President of this highly effective board and to work with the world class Port of Oakland staff. I am excited about what we have been able to accomplish during this past fiscal year including a major trade mission with Oakland Mayor Quan to China promoting US exports, bringing in new flights to Oakland International Airport, and bringing on board a new investor to revitalize Jack London Square.” After the ratification of the election, President Calloway said, “I value the strong and effective leadership of my predecessor, Commissioner James Head. He led the Port through the first year of our 5-year strategic plan with great integrity, transparency and accountability. I look forward to continuing these standards of excellence as we aggressively pursue inclusive economic development for the Port-city of Oakland to produce more jobs for Oakland and the region."
Pamela Calloway, principal of Calloway & Associates, is an attorney with expertise in developing and implementing creative private-public partnerships and initiatives for investment in workforce and economic development to meet business needs through governmental relations, human resources development and strategic planning. Previously, Ms. Calloway served as Vice-President and Director of the California Office for Public/Private Ventures (P/PV). P/PV, a social policy think tank with offices in Philadelphia, New York City and Oakland, tackles critical challenges facing low-income communities by seeking out and designing innovative programs, rigorously testing them and promoting solutions proven to work. Prior to work at P/PV, Ms. Calloway served as Chief of Staff for the Workforce Investment Board in San Francisco and as President of the Private Industry Council there.
Gilda Gonzales is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Unity Council and has a significant history of public service. During her fourteen-year career with the City of Oakland, she gained experience in municipal financing and budgeting, public policy, economic development and government relations. She served in many capacities from Budget Analyst, Special Assistant to the Finance Agency Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, and Chief of Staff to former City Manager Robert Bobb and former Mayor Jerry Brown. In 2004, Ms. Gonzales was named the Chief Executive Officer for the Unity Council. The Unity Council is a non-profit community development corporation committed to enriching the quality of life of families and individuals primarily in the Fruitvale District of Oakland.
James W. Head is Vice President of Programs at The San Francisco Foundation and has over 25 years of experience in the field of community and economic development. Mr. Head served as President of the National Economic Development and Law Center for 17 years before coming to the Foundation. A lawyer by training, Mr. Head has significant nonprofit management, programmatic, and legal experience and has worked on nonprofit legal issues, nonprofit finance issues, as a consultant to foundations, financial institutions, business, government, and as a professor of law. Mr. Head’s community service is extensive having been a member of numerous Foundation Advisory Boards, including the Open Society Foundation of New York, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation of Michigan, and the Columbian Foundation of San Francisco.
