Sarah is an entrepreneur, an architect, and an impact strategist, who believes that public trust is crucial in planning an equitable future and that intelligent design & technology can foster that trust.
Born and raised in Pakistan, Sarah came to the US as a Fulbright scholar and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her research on how prosperous and sustainable social structures take physical form through design, dialogue, and tech, won an Award of Excellence.
That research became the foundation of Pakistan’s first environmentally and financially sustainable social enterprise, called ‘LettuceBee Kids’ which supported refugee children and their mothers. After successfully running her company for 5 years, Sarah joined Standford to gain business acumen in scalable social innovations.
Sarah is an expert in identifying and implementing innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing social issues. From founding a social enterprise, scaling the world’s largest non-profit Kiva to 45 cities, to building connected communities for Tech at Twilio, Sarah’s career has revolved around solving problems and fostering human connection.
Through her human-centered efforts, Sarah has created an ecosystem for multiple stakeholders, including governments, tech companies, community leaders, foundations, and students to collaborate for a collective good. Her work towards entrepreneurship, empowerment, and community building has been recognized as an Acumen fellow, iCats fellow, Tedx speaker, and Silicon Valley Businesses Journal’s 40 under 40 award recipient.
Sarah also loves going on hikes with her dog, Prof. Dumbledore, and bringing people together over food and dialogue through her new venture, Mayz, Driveway Dinners.
Richard Ajluni joined JW House on January 2nd, 2020 as Executive Director. Richard has served in leadership roles with local and international nonprofit organizations, including Catholic Charities, Gardner Family Health, and World Vision.
A long time community volunteer Richard has served on the San Jose Arts Commission, the boards of MACLA, and Loaves & Fishes.
He has lived in San Jose’s Historic Naglee Park neighborhood for 22 years. Richard’s spouse Karen works at Stanford University and they have 3 children at different phases of education.
Richard loves to cook for friends and is always up for a bike ride or a good book on politics or religion, hobbies also include piano and golf however, both at a second grade level.
Richard is a graduate of Bellarmine College Prep., and San Jose State University.
Tony V. Arreola is co-founder and managing principal of DAL Properties, LLC, a company specializing in complex property entitlements that require multi agency approvals while navigating the bureaucracy, community, and political process. Over the years, Mr. Arreola and his partners, the late Charles W. Davidson and Mark Lazzarini, developed single family detached home subdivisions, market rate and affordable high density residential communities in the Silicon Valley area. Mr. Arreola has over 29 years of combined experience in real estate development, real estate investments and financing, strategic planning, public policy, and government affairs.
In 2000, he founded Silicon Valley Strategies, Inc., where he managed the successful entitlements of high-density affordable apartment developments; single family detached homes and assisted national corporations with their entitlement permit approvals. In 2003, Mr. Arreola co-founded AKLD, LLC - a real estate investment company. Here, he managed the entitlement and disposition of single-family detached home developments in Santa Clara County. Mr. Arreola is also a limited partner in AVEX, a Texas corporation that invests in residential and commercial land in the path of growth in major metropolitan markets in Texas and Colorado.
In 2017, Mr. Arreola founded Terrascape Ventures, LLC with partner Mark Lazzarini. Terrascape Ventures is a company focused on the entitlement and development of mixed use, residential and office high rise developments in the Downtown and greater San Jose/Silicon Valley area.
Mr. Arreola’s extensive experience in land use and real estate entitlements, government and public policy began in the early 90’s as a Policy Aide working for the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and as Chief of Staff, District 5, city of San Jose City Council and later as Deputy Chief of staff to the mayor’s office city of San Jose.
Beyond the workplace, Mr. Arreola is active in his community. His contributions include:
• Urban Vibrancy Institute, Founding Board Member (2021-Present)
• Board Member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley, (2008-2017) (Currently Advisory Board Member) Involvement included: Youth of the Year Judge, Chair Leading Citizen Dinner Committee, Chair of the Major Gifts Committee, Distinguished Service Award
• Chavez Family Vision, Board Trustee, (2017-2020), Currently Emeritus Board Member
• Association of Fundraising Professionals, Silicon Valley Chapter, Distinguished Volunteer Fundraising Award 2014-raised over $1 million for the B & G Clubs (2008-2014)
• County of Santa Clara Commendation for Volunteer Fundraising, 2014
• Board Trustee, Opera San Jose (Past)
• Co-founder Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, Cal Poly SLO, (1988-Present)
• Founder of the Arreola Family Award Endowment, (2015-Present)
• City Council Redistricting Advisory Commission member, City of San Jose (Past)
• Role Model Program Board member (Past)
• Santa Clara County’s Children Health Allocation Committee member (Past)
• KNTV Hispanic Advisory Board member (Past)
• Alum Rock Library Committee member (Past)
• City of San Jose Commendation for Community Volunteer Work, 1996
Mr. Arreola received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-law from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, which catalyzed his involvement in government that led him to developing real estate. In addition, Mr. Arreola has over the year’s taken several professional development courses; including earning a leadership certificate from the Latino Leadership Academy at Stanford University. Mr. Arreola has been married for over 29 years, has two children and lives in San Jose, California.
Steve Borkenhagen has been an entrepreneur and business owner in Silicon Valley since 1975. He opened Camera One Theater, the first repertory cinema in San Jose, along with partners in 1975. During the years since, Steve has founded and operated multiple bars and restaurants in the South Bay Area including Eulipia Restaurant from 1977 to 2012.
He studied Classics at San Jose State University after attending Santa Clara University and New College of California in San Francisco. Steve worked in the energy management field for two years as an energy auditor and is a certified LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional). He was also the project manager and part of the founding team of the San Pedro Square Market, a public market built in the tradition of Pike Place Market and other public markets. He worked with his family to found and operate Cafe Stritch, the Bay Area’s pre-eminent jazz club from 2013 until 2018.
In 2017 Thomas Wohlmut, Jon Ball, and Steve started the San Jose Light Tower Corporation, a non-profit organization working to build an iconic world-class landmark in downtown San Jose. Steve has been on numerous non-profit boards over the past 30 years including Notre Dame High School, the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Santa Clara University Department of Pastoral Ministries, the San Jose Downtown Association, Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen, JW House, and Music for Minors. He has been an active member of the Rotary Club of San Jose for over 25 years, participating in numerous philanthropic domestic and international programs.
Lina Broydo is an award-winning writer, columnist, and blogger and an expert public relations professional.
She was born in Ufa in the Ural Mountains region of the Soviet Union and grew up in Vilnius, then the capital of the Lithuanian Republic of the Soviet Union. An only child, Lina immigrated at the age of 15 with her parents to Poland and moved to Israel following a year living in Warsaw.
After graduating from college with a degree in chemistry, she married Sasha Broydo and moved to Birmingham, England, where they both studied and worked at the world-renowned Birmingham University.
Invited by the prestigious Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, Dr. Sasha Broydo, Lina, and son Mark (who was born in Birmingham), moved to Westfield, New Jersey. Daughter Leora was born in New Jersey. After 14 years living in New Jersey, they found their way to Los Altos Hills in Silicon Valley, California.
Lina speaks English, Russian, Polish, and Hebrew and lives in Los Altos Hills, California.
Lina's professional career included successful work doing the following:
• Producer and on-air personality at Cross Country Cable TV in New Jersey
• Co-owner and metal sculpture artist at the ArtMakers Gallery in New Jersey
• Associate producer at KRON TV, the NBC TV affiliate in San Francisco
• President of "Executive Sports" management company in Los Altos Hills
• Director of Public Relations and Promotions at the 5-star luxury Fairmont Hotel in San Jose
• Associate producer of "Fresh Dialogues", an award-winning on-line TV show
• Public Relations Executive for the Taube International Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area
Affiliations:
• Los Altos Rotary Club
• ORT International Professional School
• Bay Area Travel Writers
• Commonwealth Club of San Francisco
• Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
As executive director of the National Chavez Center (NCC), Andres Chavez, 28, leads the arm of the Cesar Chavez Foundation that educates and promotes the legacy of his grandfather across the nation. He also oversees two historic properties, including at La Paz in Keene, Calif. where Chavez lived and labored his last quarter century, a portion of which is now the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument that the NCC manages in partnership with the National Park Service.
As director of strategic initiatives with the Cesar Chavez Foundation, Andres moved forward new foundation initiatives and projects, assisting its four funds: Communications, Housing, and Economic Development, Education, and the National Chavez Center.
The youngest son of Socorro and Paul Chavez, Cesar Chavez’s middle son, Andres was raised at La Paz in the farm worker movement. Andres grew up greeting visitors, taking them on tours, and sharing his grandfather’s history as well as participating in countless marches, rallies, picket lines, demonstrations, and political campaigns.
Andres graduated magna cum laude from California State University, Bakersfield in 2016, with a B.A. degree in Public Policy and Administration. He was active in student and community life, organizing immigration rights rallies, the first campus Hispanic Heritage Month observances, and opening a community garden in an underserved neighborhood.
After serving as political director for Emilio J. Huerta’s Central Valley campaign in California’s 21st Congressional District, he helped establish the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) at California State University, Sacramento, helping farm workers obtain their GED degrees. Andres worked with the California State Fair and Exposition, the public agency running the state fair, aiding its legislative outreach and lobbying efforts.
Jaime G. Chavez has been in the Dream Fulfillment business for 30yrs. Currently working as Director of Client Development at SVB Private Bank. His specialty is collaborating with growing privately held companies and high net worth individuals to plan and achieve their dreams. Works and lives in San Jose, primarily managing client relationships locally but does extend coast to coast and places in between. In his new role at SVB Private he is responsible for growing SVB market share along with increasing brand awareness for SVB Private while demonstrating the capabilities of the new combined organization after acquiring Boston Private Bank. Prior to joining Silicon Valley Bank through Boston Private acquisition, he held leadership positions with City National Bank, GE Capital, and Bank of America.
When Jaime is not doing his day job, he’s committed to volunteer work in San Jose community and abroad. He continues his volunteer work with Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley, Parisi House on the Hill and, Rotary Club of San Jose where he’s served on various committees, Foundation Board and Club Board. Rotary is where he was introduced to Rotaplast International, where he has traveled to South America on various medical missions (life changing for him) to provide surgical treatments we take for granted in USA but are so desperately needed across the globe.
If it sounds like Jaime works and volunteers a lot, this is true. He does make time for things he truly enjoys. Such as, spending time with friends and family. He’s a trained chef and sommelier and enjoys everything about both. Go ahead and test your culinary and wine knowledge on him. Chances are, if he has a glass of wine in one hand and foie gras in the other he may not shut up about it.
Having extensive experience in community affairs, local government and land use, Xavier brings over 30 years of service to the public and private sectors of Silicon Valley.
Xavier worked for 20 years with the Mexican American Community Services Agency, Inc. (MACSA) where he served as Chief Operations Officer. While at MACSA he opened and operated the MACSA Youth Center and worked on and completed 2 affordable housing developments in East San Jose providing 119 units of affordable housing to the San Jose workforce. Additionally, Xavier secured state grant funding to build and complete a community/youth center on the campus of South Valley Jr. High School in Gilroy, California.
Appointed as a member of the City of San Jose’s Planning Commission in 2002, Xavier’s support was key in advancing development projects that have changed San Jose’s downtown skyline, creating over 10,000 housing units and key to delivering thousands of jobs to local residents. After serving for eight years as a San Jose Planning Commissioner, Campos was elected to serve on the San Jose City Council, representing the City’s 5th council district.
During his time on the city council, Xavier focused on bringing critical resources and amenities to his district to improve infrastructure, create new bike lanes, create and improve parks and provide critical city funding to the neighborhoods in his district. Additionally, under Xavier’s leadership, the City of San Jose entered into a Sister City relationship with the City of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and established a diplomatic and business relationship to this region of Mexico which is considered to be the “Silicon Valley” of Mexico. Xavier was appointed by San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed to serve on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Board, where he succeeded in providing critical transportation projects to San Jose. These projects included securing VTA commitment for the light rail extension to the Eastridge Transit Station, funding the BART extension from the City of Fremont to San Jose, committing funding and breaking ground for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line from The Eastridge Transit Station to the San Jose Diridon Transit Station, and bringing high speed rail to the San Jose Diridon Transportation Station. Xavier also served on the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board providing oversight for commuter rail service for Santa Clara, San Francisco, Alameda, Sacramento, Contra Costa, Solano, Placer, and Yolo Counties.
During his time in public service, Xavier served on the executive board of the League of California Cities, Latino Caucus, where he played a lead role in advocating for legislative priorities in support of large and small cities throughout the state of California.
Xavier, along with two other business partners founded Silicon Valley Engineering and Permitting (SVEP Consultants LLC) which is a full-service civil engineering, land permitting and urban planning firm serving Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Xavier is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley (Class XX) and remains engaged in his East San Jose community though volunteer work with various neighborhood associations. Xavier is also a member of the Chavez Family Vision board of directors where he serves as President of the Board. In addition, Xavier also finds time to Coach Little League baseball with Eastridge Little League and Pop Warner football with the Cambrian-Los Gatos Longhorns where he is an assistant offensive and defensive line coach and special teams coordinator. In 2017 Xavier’s Longhorns won the Pop Warner Division III National Championship.
Presently serves as the President of the Avenida de Espana Housing Board (under the auspices of the Santa Clara County Housing Authority) and as a member of the San Jose Arena Authority Board.
Served as the City of San Jose’s Diridon Project Manager, leading the City's efforts to assure implementation and development of a world class transportation center as the catalyst for economic and cultural growth for the City and Bay Area. Projects involved coordination of transportation agencies and the City of San Jose to create the rules and structure that will be necessary to integrate a new intermodal transportation center with private development to assure the success of both the transportation systems and the private investment in this expansion of the City's downtown. Also was a member of the City’s negotiating team working with Google on its Downtown West development project. Led the coordination with economic and development consultants as part of the negotiation, and led the team creating the Diridon Infrastructure Fee plan to assure development within the Diridon Station Area. (2016-2021)
As the Interim Planning Director for the City of Milpitas, was responsible for the implementation of the City's Transit Area Specific Plan designed to support the new BART station and linkage to the VTA light rail system. More than 3,000 housing units were permitted along with a new hotel and several hundred thousand square feet of commercial retail during this one year effort.(2015-2016)
As the Assistant City Manager for Development, following on the role as Community Development Director, was responsible for the implementation of the City's Downtown Precise Plan, bringing to the city more than 2,500 housing units and nearly one million square feet of new office to establish Redwood City as a significant player in transit oriented development and design. Also negotiated the Development Agreement with Stanford University to bring its plans for new office development and campus support with the first community benefit program for the City. (2011-2015)
From 1998 to 2011, and the demise of redevelopment in the state, served as the Director of Project Management/Special Projects for the City of San Jose's Redevelopment Agency. During this tenure led the design and implementation of significant projects such as the MLK Library (the first joint public and university library in the United States), the Tech Museum of Innovation, the Mexican Heritage Plaza, Horace Mann Elementary School, the transformation of the California-Fox Theatre into the home of San Jose Opera, and the reconstruction of the Civic Auditorium, and modernization projects at Municipal Stadium. Also served as City liaison to the Arena Authority during this period.
For the City of Albany, California, served as the city's first Community Development Director. Although the primary focus of this work was administrative and organizational development, led the design and implementation of the redesign and reconstruction of the City's main shopping street, Solano Avenue. Also negotiated agreements with Caltrans to improve the connection of the city's sole redevelopment area with Interstate 880. (1994-1998)
Served as the Senior Development Officer for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and the Director of Public Works for the Town of Los Altos Hills. (1985-1994)
Laura Guio is currently the IBM General Manager, Kyndryl Strategic Partnership, IBM Senior State Executive for California and Co-Chair of the Native American Diversity Council. Her responsibilities cover all business unit interactions between IBM - Cisco and Apple.
In her previous role, Laura was the General Manager, Cisco and Apple Partnership, where she was responsible for developing and leading joint offerings through collaboration with the Partner and IBM Clients. Clients understand and need high value integrated solutions used to evolve their enterprises IT value.
Laura has held several other positions including VP, GTS WW Center of Competency – Leading IBM technical solutions with sales WW. VP, IBM Storage Business Line Executive, driving the corporate wide Storage investment. Her role as the Growth Markets Unit VP of Storage Sales from 2009 through 2012 based in Shanghai China was one of the best learning roles in her career. In that position she led the Storage sales responsibilities of 149 countries, driving over 1 billion in sales annually. In her 31 years at IBM, a significant portion was spent developing and leading SW engineering, operational infrastructure, customer support and services which have prepared her to be a strong technology leader across IBM’s products and services. She maintains strong client relationships as an executive in IBM which she believes is key to providing value to our customers.
Ms. Guio is a recognized leader in the Silicon Valley community. She serves as the Senior State Executive for California. This position provides leadership for IBM in the community, linking our corporate citizenship activities with strategic IBM initiatives, and leveraging the resources of IBM to achieve strategic business goals. She serves on the Board of Directors for Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) which is comprised of 70 CEOs & CIOs from leading companies in Silicon Valley with the objective to drives program and campaigns that affect the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley. She is the co-chairs for the SVLG Racial Justice & Equity Task Force. She helped establish and serves on the Board of Directors for San Jose’s “Talent Task Force” lead by the Mayor of San Jose.
In 2004, Laura received the YWCA Tribute to Women in IndustryAward and in 2021 is the recipient of the Women of Influence Award from Silicon Valley Business Journal. She has served on the Board of Directors for the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Silicon Valley CIO forum, UPWARD and PBWC. Additional, Laura is on the Board of Directors for the Compassion Center which serves the homeless in south Santa Clara County.
Ms. Guio graduated from San Jose State University in 1986.
With over 37 years of land use planning experience including over four years with the City of Palo Alto and nearly ten years with the San Jose Department of City Planning, Building & Code Enforcement, Ray provides the lead expertise in land use and entitlement for land development projects. He has been involved with the management and planning of a wide range of projects from inception through construction including multi-use and industrial/commercial projects, large-scale residential projects, and specialized projects such as operating and post-operation landfill sites.
Ray’s main projects include the highly anticipated Downtown West near Diridon Station, medical institution Samaritan Medical Center, mixed-use developments Japantown Corporate Yard, The Pruneyard Shopping Center, Meridian at Midtown, The Verve and Santa Clara Square, and agricultural urban development Agrihood. More projects are pending under his land planning and development guidance, solidifying him as a first-rate resource in the field. Ray also has extensive experience working with the cities and other governmental agencies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
Ray was also a BIA rep to the VTA Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) from 2000-2018. Learn more here.
Outside of work, he spends as much time with his granddaughter as he can, loves traveling, attending sports events, playing golf and basketball as well as road biking.
Former San Jose Vice Mayor Charles “Chappie” Jones was elected to the San José City Council in November of 2014 with close to 60% of the popular vote. He represented City Council District 1, the region of West San José that borders the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Santa Clara and Saratoga. Chappie was born in Sacramento and moved to San José in the 1990’s. His upbringing instilled a strong sense of civic responsibility and made him into a strong advocate of civil service, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement.
Prior to his election, Chappie worked in the private sector where he held sales and marketing management positions with Apple and AT&T, was an Executive Manager with Cornerstone Consulting and Technology, and owned a technology service business.
Chappie assumed the role of Chair of the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority
Chappie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Chappie has been married for over 25 years to Kelli Jones, a high-tech sales and marketing manager. Together they have two children and live in the Murdock neighborhood of District 1.
Gabriel Medina is the grandnephew of Cesar Chavez, and currently the Vice-President of the Chavez Family Vision, a non-profit organization founded by family members of Cesar Chavez that provides scholarships for students.
Gabriel was born and raised in San Jose, and he has an AA from San Jose City College, a BA in History from San Jose State University, and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration. He also graduated from The California Culinary Academy and worked for many years in the restaurant business.
Gabriel is a teacher at Bernal Intermediate School where he coaches multiple sports and teaches 7th and 8th grade students. He enjoys building relationships with students and colleagues, and has a deep passion for helping all students achieve their fullest potential. In his free time, he loves fishing and spending quality time with his wife and two young sons.
Winner of 3 film and video awards for acting and voice talent. President of Big Kahuna Video Productions he brings his experience as writer, director and voice-talent for corporate videos in Silicon Valley for companies such as Samsung Foundry, KLA-Tencor, Cadence Design Systems, Arm, Disney, Apple, TSMC, and many more.
In addition to Sean’s behind the camera experience, he has also worked as a standup comic, actor and voice-actor and performed with notable A-listers that include Jay Leno, Dennis Miller, Dana Carvey and Howie Mandel. His credits include numerous made for TV movies for NBC and CBS along with a series of feature films with Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Alan Alda, Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg. Sean was directly involved as a writer and voice talent for radio and television commercials along with the video game industry for Sony, Nintendo, Atari, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and DC Comics video game and virtual reality divisions.
Sean comes with an extensive background in the world of high tech specifically (IoT) Internet of Things, Virtual & Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Computing.
Former board-member and Secretary of History San Jose Past President, San Jose -Dublin Ireland Sister City Program Current Board-member San Jose Police Foundation. Studied at San Jose State University and UC Berkeley, Radio-TV Broadcasting and Business Communications.
His wife Ann is a retired 6th grade language arts teacher at Buchser Middle School and son Colin is a graduate of Sonoma State University.
What is important in Sean’s life are his family, friends and creating new possibilities everyday for himself and others in his life.
“When I’m not working you can find me at the beach, hunting down Miles Davis mono vinyl or out getting gigs for my video production company and as a voice-actor.”
I founded MWA Architects Inc. in 1988 and served as President and a Principal until 2016 when I retired from MWA. I taught graduate studios in 2015, 2017, 2020, and the 2021 Fall semesters at my alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis [BA1973/M Arch 1976/MSW 1976]. I am a 2013 Distinguished Alumni of the University, the School of Architecture, the Brown School of Social Work; and a holder of a National Black Achievement award of the Black Alumni Council (1996). I gave the Commencement Address to the Brown School graduates in 2007.
My firm created master plans and designs for mixed income affordable housing projects and neighborhood revitalization projects in San Francisco, Oakland, Portland, Detroit, St. Louis, Memphis, and post-Katrina New Orleans Faubourg Lafitte in New Orleans; We have created urban infrastructure projects in municipal power, transportation, and especially water, in communities from Washington state, Portland, to Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. I have advised cities including San Francisco, St. Louis, Oakland, and San Jose for public and non-profit institutions and clients. I love cities around the world, and I try to bring back the lessons they offer to all the other cities I work with.
I served as Director, and President of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIASF) in 1995 and was elevated to Fellowship in 1996. I was the local president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). I have served on many committees and presented papers at national AIA conventions; the Green Building Council, American Water Works Association, the WateReuse Association; and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. I was a 2015 recipient of the AIA California Chapter Norma Sklarek Award.
