Applications — San Jose City Council, April 15, 2025

Submit Date: Mar 13, 2025
First Name Last Name
Email Address
Street Address Suite or Apt
City State Postal Code
Primary Phone Alternate Phone

CITY OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
Boards and Commissions Application
Profile
Please note, applications are continuously accepted to the City of San Jose Boards and Commissions. The Board or Commission you select may or may not indicate there is a vacancy. Your application will remain on file for one year from the date of submission.

During the year, your application may be considered for unanticipated vacancies.

Additionally, applicants to the following commissions will be required to fill out a Form 700 (California State required Statement of Economic Interest) within 30 days of appointment.

Airport Commission
Appeals Hearing Board
Arena Authority
Arts Commission
Civil Service Commission
Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee (DCAC)
Downtown Parking Board
Board of Fair Campaign and Political Practices (formerly Ethics Commission) Federated and Police & Fire Retirement Boards
Historic Landmarks Commission
Housing & Community Development Commission
Work2future (SVWIB) Board
Planning Commission*
Are you a resident of San Jose?
Yes No
What district do you live in? To verify, please click here:
https://rovservices.sccgov.org/Home/IndexPost?
selected=dt&electionId=133&distance=5&navtab=vc&asm=simple * District 6
Length of Residency
6 or more years
Barbara Bremner
San Jose CA 95125
Mobile:

Barbara Bremner

Employer Job Title
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Senior Citizens Commission: Submitted
Current Employer Address
N/A
Current Employer of Spouse
San Jose Unified School District
Address of Current Employer of Spouse
Spouse's Job Title
Teacher
If you or your spouse is retired and receiving a pension, please state source of pension.

N/A

Retired from The Health
Trust Program Manager
Barbara Bremner

Interests & Experiences
High School, College, Professional, Vocational, or Other Schools Attended.

Please include Major or Field of Study, Dates Attended, Degree and Date of Degree.

Cornell University, Master of Science in Community Nutrition, 1989 - 1992 University of Pretoria, South Africa, Dietetic Internship, 1982 University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, 1979 - 1981
List any position or office held in any governmental agency, civic, or charitable organization including the dates.

The Health Trust, Program Manager. 2020 - 2024 Rotary Club of San Jose, Membership Manager and Executive Director. 2013 - 2019 Willow Glen Education Foundation, various positions including President. 2005 - 2013
Languages Spoken
English and Afrikaans
Special Awards or Recognitions Received
Bridge Builder Award, Recovery Café San Jose, 2019; awarded to the Rotary Club of San Jose.

City of San Jose District 6 Non-profit Organization of the Year Award, 2012; awarded to the Willow Glen Education Foundation. Trailblazer Award, Project Cornerstone, 2006.

Please state why you want to become a member of this Board or Commission including specific objectives which you would work toward as a member.

I retired from full time employment at the end of 2024 after working for more than a decade in civic and charitable organizations in San José. A lot of this work, especially laterly, focussed on meeting the needs of seniors in the community. I feel like the knowledge, skills and training I gleaned from this employment (detailed below) could be very beneficial to the work of the Senior Commission. Specific areas where I would like to apply my services relate to health, food and nutrition, and socialization. While I would be respectful of the goals and workplan of the commission, objectives of mine would be to ensure that the City's community centers remain vibrant, offering seniors culturally appropriate services and food in an accessible way. I also hope to be able to use my understanding of the healthcare system and services available to seniors to partner with organizations and expand offerings available to seniors. Lastly, I have experience designing both fliers and surveys and I would be happy to use these skills to benefit the Senior Commission.

Please state any other information which you feel would be useful in reviewing your application
Please see Senior Commission specific questions below.

Do you own property in the City of San José?
Yes No
If yes, please list the addresses here.

Barbara Bremner

Do you rent property in the City of San José?
Yes No
If yes, is it a month-to-month lease?
Yes No
Question applies to multiple boards
Are you currently experiencing homelessness or have you experienced it in the past?
Yes No
State and local law require that you abstain from participation in decisions that may affect your financial interests, including sources of income, interest in real property, personal finances or investments. In addition, if appointed, you may be required to fill out a disclosure statement which identifies certain financial interest beginning with the immediate twelve-month period prior to your appointment. Please review the scope of your board/commission in Municipal Code Chapter 2.08. Based on your best judgment, does this Board or Commission make decisions that may affect sources of income, interests in real property, personal finances or investments of you or your spouse?
Yes No
If yes, please explain. Please identify any organizations, associations, corporations, or entities by which you are employed or associated that might be affected by decisions of this Board or Commission, and the positions you hold in these entities.

N/A
Reference 1 Name
Pam Foley
Reference 1 Address
Reference 1 Email address
[email protected]
Reference 1 Phone
Barbara Bremner

Reference 2 Name
Teresa Johnson
Reference 2 Address
Reference 2 Email address
Reference 2 Phone
Supplemental Questions
If applicable, have you ever attended or watched a meeting of the Commission(s) to which you are applying?
Yes No
Would you be available to attend meetings at the scheduled time? Yes No
Please describe your experience in serving on a Commission or Board.

I do not have prior experience on a Commission or Board.

Barbara Bremner

Considering your experience and activities in business, labor, School, professional, social, Commissions, Boards, or other organizations, indicate the experience, training, knowledge and/or skills which qualify you for appointment.

Since moving to San José in 1997 I have always been an active member of my community and have usually found myself in leadership positions. This started with organizing local neighborhood gatherings, being president of my childrens’ co-op nursery school and establishing a new recess program with Project Cornerstone at their elementary school. It then expanded to leadership roles, including president, with the Willow Glen Education Foundation. I believe passionately in strong neighborhoods and have worked to achieve this in mine. Ensuring equity is another guiding principle of mine and I feel that serving on a City commission would give me the opportunity to expand my work to other communities in the City.

My experience working for the Rotary Club of San José provided me with broad knowledge of Santa Clara County and the CIty of San Jose in particular; their leaders, problems, strengths and opportunities. I gained experience working with business and nonprofit leaders and facilitating events for members to get involved in their community.

The last five years working for The Health Trust provided me with the most valuable knowledge, skills and experiences to serve on a commission. Specifically:
- The majority of
the clients we served were low-income county residents, many of whom were seniors and/or experiencing homelessness. My direct work with these clients gave me a unique insight into their needs, challenges, and strengths.
- My position required me to collaborate with several
county and city departments as well as local managed health care plans. This work provided insights into services available to city residents, how they worked and where there were opportunities for growth.
- The training I received at The Health Trust in budgeting and grant oversight will be valuable in evaluating options and decisions made by a commission.

What is your understanding of the purpose of the Commission? Commissions are advisory groups, in this case focussed on the needs of older adults. They are comprised of community members from each district so represent diverse opinions and perspectives. The commission researches issues important to seniors, including health, education, transportation, food, and recreation and provides recommendations to the City Council to guide policies affecting the older adults in San José.

Please list three issues facing the City that you feel the Council should address.

I feel that reducing unsheltered homelessness, increasing community safety (along with reducing crime) and increasing the vibrancy of our neighborhoods (including making them more affordable) are the three most important issues/goals that the City Council should address.

What is the purpose of historic preservation in San José and what is the role of the Historic Landmarks Commission in achieving that purpose? N/A
Please explain your prior experience with historic preservation, with San José’s public planning processes, and in working with City or other public agency staff.

N/A
Barbara Bremner
Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
What is a major issue facing San José’s older adults and what do you see as the Commission’s role in this issue?
There are many significant issues facing seniors in San José but one that the Covid pandemic exacerbated is the problem of social isolation and loneliness. Loneliness is a silent epidemic that impacts seniors more than other groups because of the loss of loved ones, retirement, declining physical health, including limited mobility, and limited financial resources. This can have a profound impact on the physical and mental health of seniors.

The Senior Citizens
Commission can provide assistance in this issues by:
- Ensuring that the city’s community
centers are vibrant, well run and welcoming to all seniors. - Supporting additional social
activities that give seniors things to do (like Senior Safari). Collaborating with nonprofit organizations to provide and expand services is a really good option. - Fostering a sense of
community through digital inclusion efforts.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
Please describe a leadership role you have assumed within the last five years.

During my time at The Health Trust I successfully launched and managed the new Medi-Cal funded program (CalAIM) to provide medically tailored meals, groceries and nutrition services in Santa Clara County. This leadership role involved:
- Collaborating with managed
health care partners to develop contracts, policies and procedures and advocate for sustainable reimbursement rates, establishing The Health Trust as the trusted and preferred community based service provider.
- Developing and managing budgets, grants and client
tracking systems to grow the services into a sustainable program. - Providing hands-on
management for a team of five client-facing staff members, ensuring outstanding collaborative relationships both within the team, and between other Health Trust programs and the broader community.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
How would you handle differences in opinions or positions on issues being heard at a Senior Commission meeting?
In any group, like the Senior Commission, opinions are likely to diverge but I believe that through collaboration and consensus building common ground can be found. To achieve this, several principals come into play:
- A belief that diversity makes us stronger. Diversity is not an option, it is critical to ensuring that all perspectives are heard and appreciated. - A
respect for colleagues and their opinions; listening and learning from each other. - A
willingness to compromise with the ultimate goal of doing what is the best for our residents.

Barbara Bremner
(Optional) Please upload a resume.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
What makes you knowledgeable about senior issues in the community? My work at The Health Trust gave me insights into many senior issues:
- I managed a senior
socialization program (Friends from Meals on Wheels) for four years that provided one on one calls and visits to the most isolated seniors in the community. It also provided monthly newsletters for clients providing information on topics important to them like not falling victim to scams, how to get proficient online and fall prevention. I participated in several County initiatives including the digital inclusion workgroup. - My position at The Health Trust
was in the Food and Nutrition Services department, tasked with running a county Meals on Wheels program. I quickly learned how food insecurity impacts seniors; how it is more prevalent in people of color and how the pandemic exacerbated the problem and continues to do so. I worked closely with the Area Agency of Aging and the Senior Nutrition Program at the County learning from their insights and expertise.
- My experience with the Medically
Tailored Meals Program I managed gave me profound insights into the medical and social conditions seniors in our community face and the impact these have on their health, mobility, and sense of wellbeing. I also learned first hand the value of culturally appropriate, healthy food.

Since retiring in October of 2024 I am also learning from my personal experience!
Anything else you would like us to know?
I would consider it an honor to serve on the Senior Commision and provide input into policies and practices that impact seniors in our community. My experience, training and knowledge have prepared me to both contribute to and learn from my colleagues on the commission.

And I have the time to apply my skills in service to the City of San José.

Retirement Board Questions Only
Verification
Barbara Bremner
By checking the box below, you agree with the following statement.

I agree that all of the information contained in my responses to the questions on this application are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I further agree that, by checking the box below and submitting this application, online or otherwise, I am affixing my digital signature to this form as of the date submitted.

I Agree
*
Barbara Bremner
Submit Date: Mar 14, 2025
First Name Last Name
Email Address
Street Address Suite or Apt
City State Postal Code
Primary Phone Alternate Phone

During the year, your application may be considered for unanticipated vacancies.

Additionally, applicants to the following commissions will be required to fill out a Form 700 (California State required Statement of Economic Interest) within 30 days of appointment.

Emilie Highley

Employer Job Title
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Senior Citizens Commission: Submitted
Current Employer Address
Current Employer of Spouse
Deceased
Address of Current Employer of Spouse
Deceased
Spouse's Job Title
Deceased
If you or your spouse is retired and receiving a pension, please state source of pension.

Spouse is deceased. As his widow, I receive a portion of his Lockheed retirement.

Compass Silicon Valley Realtor
Emilie Highley

Interests & Experiences
High School, College, Professional, Vocational, or Other Schools Attended.

Please include Major or Field of Study, Dates Attended, Degree and Date of Degree.

Fremont High School, University of Phoenix (BSBA) - 1985), Chamberlin Real Estate School (2002). 33 years in high tech. 22 years in real estate ( still active). Active in the Loma Prieta Porsche Club. Vice President, Willow Glen Business Association.

List any position or office held in any governmental agency, civic, or charitable organization including the dates.

President and member of the Board of Directors, Career Closet of Santa Clara County, ~1986-1991 (501(c)3 organization)
Languages Spoken
English only
Special Awards or Recognitions Received
President’s Award, Loma Prieta Porsche Club - 1997 Woman of the Year, Loma Prieta Porsche Club - 2001 & 2006 Leadership Award, Alain Pinel Realtors, - 2018 Rotarian of the Year, Almaden Valley- Willow Glen Rotary - 2023
Please state why you want to become a member of this Board or Commission including specific objectives which you would work toward as a member.

As a realtor, I am involved in the Willow Glen Community (Compass has an office on Minnesota). My desire to become a member of this Board of Commission is based on: I was an advocate for my husband for 5 years while he went through congestive heart failure and MS. As his advocate, I was heavily involved in his medical treatments, medications, surgery, hospital stays, rehab, caregiving and Hospice, giving me a good understanding and needs for health care. I also oversee the medical care for a 95 year old who is in the Memory Care Unit at Sonnet Hill - giving me the opportunity to how the aging are care for, cleanliness of her person and room, quality of meals, etc. Care of our aging is key in not just our community, but throughout the U.S. I also handle all her legal affairs ensuring that financial matters are handled for only her care and ensuring her finances are accounted for to SSN, etc.

Please state any other information which you feel would be useful in reviewing your application
Do you own property in the City of San José?
Yes No
If yes, please list the addresses here.

Emilie Highley

At this writing, I am unable to identify any of the above. I am not sure that real estate would be a position affected by the decision made by the Board or Commission.

Reference 1 Name
Kevin Swanson, Potentia Wealth
Reference 1 Address
Reference 1 Email address
Reference 1 Phone
Emilie Highley

Reference 2 Name
Jim Stump, Owner - The Table
Reference 2 Address
Reference 2 Email address
Reference 2 Phone
Supplemental Questions
If applicable, have you ever attended or watched a meeting of the Commission(s) to which you are applying?
Yes No
Would you be available to attend meetings at the scheduled time? Yes No
Please describe your experience in serving on a Commission or Board.

I have never served on a Commission. I have served on the Board for Career Closet of Santa Clara, as their President. I had monthly meetings with the Board of Directors making decisions that would effect our support to the less fortunate in the community that came to the Closet for clothing and support to help these women move toward life changes. I also serve on the Willow Glen Business Association Board, currently as their Vice President - community involvememt, Chair of the Promotions & Events Committee - promoting events on the Lincoln Avenue, generating revenue not only for future events, but also toward raising funds for Beautification of Lincoln Avenue, working closely with all Board Members.

As a Rotarian, I am involved primarily with youth (Interact). Our Club sponsors 5 high schools and promotes youth in leadership programs, community service projects. I work closely with our District 5170 Chairs. A long time member of the Loma Prieta Porsche Club, I have served in direct roles - Secretary and Vice President (3 terms). Currently, I am appointed as Hospitality Chair and with 2 Porsche colleagues, Chair the Charity Committee with focus on Jacob's Heart and Morgan Autism.

Emilie Highley

I spent 33 years in high-tech - in marketing I designed programs for the promotion of our products.

In sales, I trained and worked with my sales groups to meet financial goals, product presentations to customers.

As a realtor, I manage my time, set my goals and work
closely with my clients, showing them that I am a realtor that will be with them 'every step' of the way during the home purchase/sale process.

What is your understanding of the purpose of the Commission? It is my understanding that in this position, I will be given studies to review, evaluate and make recommendations to the City Council.

These studies will involve our elderly, their
health, homelessness (housing), nutrition, recreation, means of transportation.

The meetings
are monthly.

Please list three issues facing the City that you feel the Council should address.

Homelessness Senior Care
Gangs
What is the purpose of historic preservation in San José and what is the role of the Historic Landmarks Commission in achieving that purpose? I believe that the purpose of the historic preservation in San Jose is to protect and conserve those buildings (and homes), landmarks and whatever has historical value - these need to be preserved for future generations.

Please explain your prior experience with historic preservation, with San José’s public planning processes, and in working with City or other public agency staff.

My experience is limited only to selling a property on Willow Street that historically, the exterior can not be modified in any way.

I have knowledge of the Roberto Adobe & Sunol
House and the fact that it is one of the oldest homes in Santa Clara Valley.

Emilie Highley
(Optional) Please upload a resume.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
What is a major issue facing San José’s older adults and what do you see as the Commission’s role in this issue?
Health care for the elderly, housing - treating them with dignity.

Many elderly have limited
financial resources and require substantial support, needing to 'juggle' their resources, SSN,
some savings, etc., to cover their rent and food.

In some case the elderly need to rely City &
County support for meals.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
Please describe a leadership role you have assumed within the last five years.
3 years ago, I assumed the leadership role for youth within our Rotary Club (Interact Clubs made up of high school students).

Within this role, I am active with the 5 High Schools that we support - this support comes in the form of being an advisor, promoting community service work projects, promoting attendance to leadership conferences held by Rotary District 5170, supporting these Interactors in their Club meetings, events etc.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
How would you handle differences in opinions or positions on issues being heard at a Senior Commission meeting?
I believe that everyone has their opinion on various issues - opinions need to be heard and evaluated as to the best direction to be taken.

Question applies to
Senior Citizens Commission
What makes you knowledgeable about senior issues in the community? Being an advocate to both my deceased husband and the elderly that I care for as well as the elderly that I meet in real estate that need assistance/direction.

I truly care for the
elderly which involves maintaining their dignity, respecting who they are and providing compassion.

Anything else you would like us to know?
I am an outgoing individual with a great family and support group of friends.

Retirement Board Questions Only
Emilie Highley
Verification
By checking the box below, you agree with the following statement.

I Agree
*
Emilie Highley

San Jose City CouncilApril 15, 2025

San Jose City Council
April 15, 2025