COUNCIL AGENDA : 9/29/2026
FILE : 26-1041
ITEM : 2.17
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND
CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Toni Taber, MMC
City Clerk
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: September 25, 2026
SUBJECT: Request for Travel
Recommendation
As recommended by the Rules and Open Government Committee on September 23, 2026, authorize travel, accept travel payments to the City of San José, and designate:
(
a) Mayor Mahan and Mayor’s Chief Communications and Public Information Officer Tasha Dean as the City representatives to attend the Teach for America’s 35th Anniversary Summit on October 3, 2026. Source of Funds: Teach for America and Mayor's Office Budget. (b) Mayor’s Chief of Staff Sarah Zárate as the City representative to participate in the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University Project on Municipal Innovation from October 7-9, 2026. Source of Funds: Bloomberg Philanthropies and Mayor’s Office Budget.
CEQA: Not a Project, File No. PP17-010, City Organizational and Administrative Activities resulting in no changes to the physical environment. (Mayor) [Rules Committee referral 9/23/2026 - Item B.2]
ROGC AGENDA: 9/23/26
ITEM: B.2
TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: Mayor Matt Mahan
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO TRAVEL DATE: September 17, 2026
Approved: Date: 09/17/2026
RECOMMENDATION: 1. Authorize travel , accept travel payments to the City of San José, and designate Mayor Mahan and Mayor’s Chief Communications and Public Information Officer Tasha Dean as the City
representative s to attend the Teach For America’s 35th Anniversary Summit on October 3, 2026.
2. Place this item on the September 29, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Meeting Dates: October 3, 2026
Source of Funds: Costs associated with accommodation, airfare, and most meals will be paid for by Teach For America, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Any remaining costs, such as ground transportation, meals not covered and Wi-Fi will be paid by Mayor’s Office Budget.
Purpose:
Teach For America is hosting 35th Anniversary Summit in Las Vegas, convening thousands of alumni, corps members, advocates, and partners , for the largest Teach For America event in a decade to spotlight the network’s leadership impact on national education policy. Mayor Mahan will be participating in a high-profile session to address summit attendees.
Mayor Mahan leads on issues critical to our City’s families – education, housing, economic opportunity, and public safety. His roots as a former Teach for America corps member and his ongoing commitment to education equity align directly with the Summit’s mission. Serving on the Summit’s agenda, the Mayor will bring attention to San José ’s educational priorities, strengthen regional partnerships, and elevate the City’s leadership role in national education dialogues.
As the Mayor’s dedicated communications lead, Tasha Dean develops and executes the City’s messaging strategy, coordinates press outreach, and ensures accurate public representation. Ms.
ROGC AGENDA: 9/23/26
ITEM: B.2
Dean will provide real -time support for Mayor Mahan’s session with live media management, craft messaging to amplify the City’s educational priorities and Summit participation, and engage directly with Teach For America’s communications leadership, fosteri ng long-term relationships that benefit San Jos é’s outreach efforts. Given her official role and expertise in communications and public information, Ms. Dean’s designation is critical to maximizing the City’s visibility and messaging impact.
ROGC AGENDA: 9/23/26
ITEM: B.2
TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: Mayor Matt Mahan
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO TRAVEL DATE: September 17, 2026
Approved: Date: 09/17/2026
RECOMMENDATION: 1. Authorize travel , accept travel payments to the City of San José, and designate Mayor’s Chief of Staff Sarah Zárate as the City representative to participate in the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University Project on Municipal Innovation convening funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies from October 7-9, 2026.
2. Place this item on the September 29, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Meeting Dates: October 7-9, 2026
Source of Funds: Costs associated with registration, accommodation, airfare, and most meals will be paid for by Bloomberg Philanthropies, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Any remaining costs, such as ground transportation, meals not covered by Bloomberg Philanthropies, or Wi-Fi will be paid by Mayor’s Office Budget.
Purpose:
The Project on Municipal Innovation is a biannual convening hosted by Harvard University’s Bloomberg Center for Cities that brings together chiefs of staffs and senior leaders from major U.S. cities to examine emerging challenges in municipal governance . The sessions focus on practical, research-supported approaches to fiscal sustainability, operational modernization, workforce and labor issues, AI integration, and revenue strategies .
As the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Ms. Zárate’s role requires continuous engagement with national best practices and collaboration with peer cities to ensure San José is prepared to respond effectively to evolving fiscal and operational pressures . Participation will allow Ms. Zárate to gather actionable insights from other large cities, exchange solutions with national policy experts, and strengthen relationships across a network of senior municipal officials. Her attendance ensures San José is repr esented in discussions that shape municipal innovation
ROGC AGENDA: 9/23/26
ITEM: B.2
nationally, while providing the Mayor’s Office with up -to-date strategies that can support long - term organizational and budgetary resilience.