Letter of Appointment
December 16, 2024
Dear President Bas and members of the City Council:
Pursuant to City Charter Section 601, the Mayor has appointed the following persons as members of the following board or commission, subject to City Council confirmation:
Community Policing Advisory Board
David Ralston, to serve a three year term as the District 2 representative on the Community Policing Advisory Board beginning March 25, 2024 and ending March 24, 2027, filling the vacant seat previously held by Colette McPherson.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Mayor Sheng Thao
Submit Date: Oct 26, 2023
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City of Oakland Boards & Commissions
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What City Council district do you live in?
District 2
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Community Policing Advisory Board: Submitted
Interests & Experiences
David C Ralston
Bay Area Air Quality
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Senior Planning Policy
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David C Ralston
Upload a Resume
Please tell us how your qualifications and participation will relate to the requested board and/or commission's mission.
I was appointed by CM Bas to serve on the Reimagining Public Safety technical advisory task force (legal challenges and opportunities) in which I worked closely with other members (some of whom are on this commission) in developing specific public safety and violence prevention policies and investment approaches oriented around engaging and further developing the neighborhood councils. In doing this work I also connected with several CPAB members on developing specific neighborhood council approaches and policies. My professional experience is in community-level planning and engagement and health equity policy research. I have a demonstrated long-standing interests in developing and advocating policies (especially involving community engagement, youth education, workforce development, built environment participatory actions/place-making) that advance resident engagement and help create environments that support community health and on-going participation. I have served on prior commissions such as the County Public Health Commission in which my my focus has been a community health and equity lens in addressing systemic social and policy issues within Oakland. Finally, I have also worked in the past (15-years) for the City of Oakland in delivering neighborhood revitalization projects and programs and have developed deep relations and first-hand experiences with neighborhoods and communities across the City's flatlands including Deep East Oakland, Foothill/Seminary, Elmhurst, Fruitvale, Dimond, West Oakland, and Golden Gate. I have also taught at McClymonds, Madison Park Academy, and at Merritt College. I have a strong working relationship over the last two decades with the City Administrator staff who lead the neighborhood council program. I have also been an active participant in my own local GrandLake NCPC meetings. For these reasons I feel I am qualified and would like to apply for the at-large vacancy. Thank you. (Note: I am also concurrently serving on the City's BPAC commission which I do not see as conflicting).
Please submit your resume or curriculum vitae. You may upload a document. (A Word format is preferred.) Alternatively, you may paste the text of your resume in the field provided below.
Please paste the text of your resume or curriculum vitae below.
David C. Ralston .
-based
senior/executive-level policy professional (8+ years) specializing in regional government program management and administration, urban resiliency planning, community engagement, equity policies/environmental justice, sustainability, and local health infrastructure. 15+ years in urban governance program delivery, project management, community redevelopment, neighborhood commercial revitalization, economic analysis, and advanced strategic planning. Prior executive director for start-up nonprofit community development corporation and program director for East Bay urban greening operation. On- going roles as adjunct professor in urban and regional sustainability, community development, healthy cities, and environmental planning. Strengths: innovative team building and project leadership, policy research/writing, and graphic communication; deep knowledge, engagement, and established relationships from 25-years of working with diverse communities of Oakland. AREAS OF EXPERTISE . Program Administration/Executive Leadership Local Strategic Planning and Land Use Community Development and Engagement Environmental Impact Assessments /CEQA Project Management and Implementation Community-Based and Participatory Research Health Equity and Environmental Justice Policy Urban Greening Design and Infrastructure CAREER SUMMARY . Senior Policy Advisor, Bay Area Air Quality Management District (2018-Present) Advises and reports to Director on region-wide policy responses pertaining to environmental justice planning and climate protection; develops and leads technical assistance policy programs for implementing local-based health equity initiatives; works with cities/counties to support planning and capital infrastructure projects for funding through the State’s Transformative Climate Community Initiative and other Climate Investment programs; develops specific air D._Ralston_Resume_2023.docx
David C Ralston
pollution and “Planning Healthy Places” policies applicable to Bay Area AB617/CARE communities. Regional Program Manager/Executive Office, Bay Area Air Quality Management District (2015-2018)
Led and managed the Community Engagement Office with
a staff of five and $1M annual budget; advised and reported directly to the Senior Deputy Executive Officer; managed coordinated community capacity-building initiatives; led a multi- year regional environmental justice stakeholder equity working group; organized Air District race and equity education and discussion forums; developed and oversaw the annual regional community-partnership grant program; developed and updated the second edition of Air District‘s Public Participation Plan. Project Manager/Urban Economic Analyst/Advanced Planner, City of Oakland (2001-2015) Managed neighborhood-based urban economic development and redevelopment projects; coordinated designs and implementation for public space infrastructure projects; served as area grant administrator for Community Development Block Grant allocations (Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Program); initialized and coordinated the development of the West Oakland Redevelopment Plan; developed strategic land-use plans and new zoning chapters for the City’s General Plan. Executive Director, Alliance for West Oakland Development (1999- 2001)
Oversaw the formation and start-up of this Bank of America Community Investment Program sponsored Local Development Corporation; managed staff of 7; wrote community investment, business, and marketing plans; negotiated project partnerships, financing and land sales; coordinated development plans for the mixed-use West Oakland BART Mandela Transit Village Project oriented to the African American experience of Oakland in conjunction with community stakeholder groups. Policy Associate, City of Oakland Office of the Mayor and Urban Strategies Council (1998-1999) Assisted Mayor Jerry Brown in community engagement and strategic development of an education policy initiative for an Oakland-wide equitable education strategy focusing on a small school programs and civic engagement.
Also worked as research associate with the Urban Strategies Council on neighborhood-based “village centers” and city-school education partnerships.
EDUCATION
. Ph. D, Urban
Geography – UCLA (Sustainable Infrastructure, and Social Production of Place. Dissertation:
Cultural Engagement and Politics of Water in the Central City Landscapes of Los Angeles in Late Capitalism) Semester Fellowship Research: Vernacular Building-Water Systems in the Saharo-Sahel Region (American University, Cairo, 1997); Mapping Habitat Ecologies of the Maroons within Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana (1996) Master’s in City Planning (MCP) – UC- Berkeley (Professional Report: Neighborhood Area Specific Action Planning, Central East Oakland) BA – Social and Cultural Anthropology – University of California at Los Angeles
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
. • San Jose State University Department of Environmental Sciences. Courses taught: Advanced Environmental Impact Assessments (ENVS 190), Spring 2019; Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessments (ENVS 185), Fall 2019. Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
Courses taught: Environmental Planning, Fall 2012,
Community Development Fall 2013. • University of California-Berkeley Department of City and Regional Planning. (CP 188AC), The Urban Community. Undergraduate Seminar. Spring 2014. • Merritt College (Peralta Community College) Environmental Planning, Technology and Management. Courses taught: Sustainable Infrastructure Systems, Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning; Urban Ecology; Healthy City Planning; Special Topics on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Climate Equity. 2008-2018.
SELECTED AFFILIATIONS
.
• American Planning Association • Association of American Geographers • Commissioner, Oakland Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (Infrastructure Committee, co-cahir). • Appointed member: Reimagine Public Safety Task Force, Legal Challenges and Opportunities Advisory Group • Alameda County Public Health Commission (Health Equity Committee, immediate past chair)
• Health for Oakland’s People and Environment (HOPE
Collaborative), Executive Committee • Fellow and Research Associate, David Brower-Ronald Dellums Institute for Sustainable Policy Studies
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
. • IT/Computer
platforms: GIS, AutoCAD, Sketch-Up, Microsoft Office including Excel, PowerPoint; Microsoft Project • Moderate Proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, and German
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
. • Government Alliance for Racial Equity (GARE), Unconscious Bias Training Certificate • Community Development Corporation Management: Community Reinvestment and Local Economic Development
• Small Business Leadership and Business Plan Writing
AREAS OF INTEREST
. Cycling, hiking, youth coaching, boxing, soccer, chess, painting.
References Available Upon Request
David C Ralston
Please click the acknowledgement below.
Service on City of Oakland boards, commissions, and committees may require filings of the FPPC's Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700). Upon appointment and determination of filing status, I will comply with all filing obligations.
I Agree
*
David C Ralston
David C. Ralston
.
.
Collaborative Oakland-based senior/executive-level policy professional (8+ years) specializing in regional government program management and administration, urban resiliency planning, community engagement, equity policies/environmental justice, sustainability, and local health infrastructure. 15+ years in urban governance program delivery, project management, community redevelopment, neighborhood commercial revitalization, economic analysis, and advanced strategic planning. Prior executive director for start-up nonprofit community development corporation and program director for East Bay urban greening operation. On-going roles as adjunct professor in urban and regional sustainability, community development, healthy cities, and environmental planning. Strengths: innovative team building and project leadership, policy research/writing, and graphic communication; deep knowledge, engagement, and established relationships from 25-years of working with diverse communities of Oakland.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
.
Program Administration/Executive Leadership Local Strategic Planning and Land Use Community Development and Engagement Environmental Impact Assessments /CEQA
Project Management and Implementation Community-Based and Participatory Research
Health Equity and Environmental Justice Policy Urban Greening Design and Infrastructure
CAREER SUMMARY
.
Senior Policy Advisor, Bay Area Air Quality Management District ( 2018- Present)
Advises and reports to Director on region-wide policy responses pertaining to environmental justice planning and climate protection; develops and leads technical assistance policy programs for implementing local-based health equity initiatives; works with cities/counties to support planning and capital infrastructure projects for funding through the State’s T ransformative Climate Community Initiative and other Climate Investment programs; develops specific air pollution and “Planning Healthy Places” policies applicable to Bay Area AB617/CARE communities. Regional Program Manager/Executive Office, Bay Area Air Quality Management District (2015-2018)
Led and managed the Community Engagement Office with a staff of five and $1M annual budget; advised and reported directly to the Senior Deputy Executive Officer; managed coordinated community capacity-building initiatives; led a multi-year regional environmental justice stakeholder equity working group; organized Air District race and equity education and discussion forums; developed and oversaw the annual regional community-partnership grant program; developed and updated the second edition of Air District‘s Public Participation Plan.
Project Manager/Urban Economic Analyst/Advanced Planner, City of Oakland (2001-2015)
Managed neighborhood-based urban economic development and redevelopment projects; coordinated designs and implementation for public space infrastructure projects; served as area grant administrator for Community Development Block Grant allocations (Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Program); initialized and coordinated the development of the West Oakland Redevelopment Plan; developed strategic land-use plans and new zoning chapters for the City’s General Plan.
Executive Director, Alliance for West Oakland Development (1999-2001) Oversaw the formation and start-up of this Bank of America Community Investment Program sponsored Local Development Corporation; managed staff of 7; wrote community investment, business, and marketing plans; negotiated project partnerships, financing and land sales; coordinated development plans for the mixed-use West Oakland BART Mandela T ransit Village Project oriented to the African American experience of Oakland in conjunction with community stakeholder groups. Policy Associate, City of Oakland Office of the Mayor and Urban Strategies Council (1998-1999)
Assisted Mayor Jerry Brown in community engagement and strategic development of an education policy initiative for an Oakland-wide equitable education strategy focusing on a small school programs and civic engagement. Also worked as research associate with the Urban Strategies Council on neighborhood-based “village centers” and city-school education partnerships.
EDUCATION
.
Ph. D, Urban Geography – UCLA (Sustainable Infrastructure, and Social Production of Place. Dissertation: Cultural Engagement and Politics of Water in the Central City Landscapes of Los Angeles in Late Capitalism)
Semester Fellowship Research: Vernacular Building-Water Systems in the Saharo-Sahel Region (American University, Cairo, 1997); Mapping Habitat Ecologies of the Maroons within Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana (1996)
Master’s in City Planning (MCP) – UC- Berkeley (Professional Report: Neighborhood Area Specific Action Planning, Central East Oakland)
BA – Social and Cultural Anthropology – University of California at Los Angeles
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
.
San Jose State University
Department of Environmental Sciences. Courses taught: Advanced Environmental Impact Assessments (ENVS 190), Spring 2019; Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessments (ENVS 185), Fall 2019.
Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Courses taught: Environmental Planning, Fall 2012, Community Development Fall 2013.
University of California-Berkeley
Department of City and Regional Planning. (CP 188AC), The Urban Community. Undergraduate Seminar. Spring 2014.
Merritt College (Peralta Community College)
Environmental Planning, T echnology and Management. Courses taught: Sustainable Infrastructure Systems, Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning; Urban Ecology; Healthy City Planning; Special T opics on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Climate Equity. 2008-2018.
SELECTED AFFILIATIONS
.
American Planning Association
Association of American Geographers
Commissioner, Oakland Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (Infrastructure Committee, co-cahir).
Appointed member: Reimagine Public Safety T ask Force, Legal Challenges and Opportunities Advisory Group
Alameda County Public Health Commission (Health Equity Committee, immediate past chair) Health for Oakland’s People and Environment (HOPE Collaborative), Executive Committee Fellow and Research Associate, David Brower-Ronald Dellums Institute for Sustainable Policy Studies
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
.
IT/Computer platforms: GIS, AutoCAD, Sketch-Up, Microsoft Office including Excel, PowerPoint; Microsoft Project
Moderate Proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, and German
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
.
Government Alliance for Racial Equity (GARE), Unconscious Bias Training Certificate Community Development Corporation Management: Community Reinvestment and Local Economic Development
Small Business Leadership and Business Plan Writing
AREAS OF INTEREST
.
Cycling, hiking, youth coaching, boxing, soccer, chess, painting.
References Available Upon Request
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. _______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY
MAYOR SHENG THAO
RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE MAYOR’S APPOINTMENT OF
DAVID RALSTON AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY POLICING
ADVISORY BOARD
WHEREAS, Section 601 of the City Charter provides that members of City boards and commissions shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to con firmation by the affirmative vote of five members of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 72727 C.M.S., adopted June 11, 1996, and amended by Resolution No. 73916 C.M.S., adopted November 4, 1997 (which changed the Community Policing Advisory Board’s status from a Task Force to a Board), established that the Community Policing Advisory Board shall oversee, mo nitor and report at least twice yearly and provide recommendations on community policing to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and director of Police Services; and
WHEREAS, the Community Policing Advisory Board consists of fifteen (15) members, all Oa kland residents, serving three -year terms, three appointed by the Mayor, one by each Councilmember, one by the Oakland Housing Authority, one by the Oakland Unified School District Board, and two by the Home Alert Steering Committee; and WHEREAS, Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas has recommended the appointment of David Ralston; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Sheng Thao has appointed David Ralston to serve a three year term, subject to confirmation by the City Council; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council hereby confirms the appointment of David Ralston, to serve a three year term as the District 2 representative on the Community Policing Advisory Board beginning March 25, 2024 and ending March 24, 2027, filling the vacant seat previousl y held by Colette McPherson.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
3390090/AS