Elaine Forbes is the Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. She is leading the Port vision for a safe, clean, and vibrant waterfront.

Due to her leadership, neighborhood communities at Mission Rock, 88 Broadway, and others provide more economic activation and vitality, open space, new affordable homes, and robust climate change measures to ensure the new developments will serve future generations.

She is leading the Waterfront Resilience Program to address sea level rise along the Port’s 7.5-mile jurisdiction. This first-of-its-kind project in collaboration with the United States Army Corps of Engineers integrates a groundbreaking analysis of social and environmental benefits alongside traditional economic evaluations.

Forbes’ steadfast commitment to equity has transformed the Port into a welcoming space for all, ensuring the waterfront reflects the diversity, vibrancy, and shared goal of the anti-racist community San Francisco seeks.

Director Forbes was born in San Francisco, lives close to the waterfront, and is an avid Bay swimmer.

Ted Hyman is a Partner in ZGF’s Los Angeles office focused on designing high-performance environments. During Ted’s 45-year career, he has led teams for many of ZGF’s most challenging and technologically complex projects, taking responsibility for programming, management, coordination, production, and construction administration. His projects have set new standards for innovation and environmental stewardship, creating efficient, flexible, and stimulating environments through the integration of functional, technical, and sustainable design challenges. Recognized as a leader in sustainable design, Ted was one of a handful of U.S. architects invited to participate in a historic forum in China in 2016 to address China’s commitment to signing the Paris Agreement and establish Zero-Net Carbon (ZNC) as a necessary and achievable goal for buildings and developments.

Juli Kawahata is a Project Director for the California Department of General Services. She has been in the design and construction industry for over 20 years, which includes spending the last 8 years working on some of DGS’s largest and most significant design-build projects. Juli is currently the Project Director overseeing a major renovation of the historical Gregory Bateson Building, a $200M progressive design-build project. Previous work with DGS includes the Richards Boulevard Office Complex, the Clifford L. Allenby Building, the State Printing Plant demolition, and handful of ground-up DMV field offices. Prior to working for the State, Juli spent many years in the private sector working for various architectural firms. She has a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture and is a DBIA certified professional, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a Certified Construction Manager (CCM).

Karen Mar is a licensed architect in California and Hawaii. She is a native of San Francisco, and her 30+ years of experience include building design, exhibit design, and project management. She started her own practice in 2005 and has extensive experience leading public sector projects from programming through construction. Her work includes rehabilitation, renovation, historic preservation, and new construction.

Alex Murillo, Manager of Public Affairs and Communications for Construction, for the City & County of San Francisco's Department of Public Works. Born a San Francisco native and working with the agency for almost 20 years, Alex's extensive knowledge and familiarity of San Francisco is unmatched. Prior to joining City government in all aspects of Public Relations, he worked in the TV & radio industry. Ask him to share a few words and his voice alone is a telltale sign. Having grown up in San Francisco, he is a product of the SF Unified School District, graduating from Lowell High School and continuing his education at San Francisco State University, graduating with his B.A. in Communications. He has played a key role in many construction projects throughout the City, including solving disagreements between contractors, City agencies, and the general public. He has earned his title as a Public Works Certified Partnering Facilitator.

As an Operations Manager at Hensel Phelps with 22 years of industry experience, John Petty provides leadership and vision critical to a collaborative team culture and the successful completion of his projects. Most recently, John led the $935 Million May Lee State Office Complex project for the California Department of General Services and is now partnering with the Judicial Council of California to lead the New Ukiah Courthouse project. John is an advocate for the use of design-build throughout the AEC industry, a champion of collaborative partnering and cares deeply about client happiness and satisfaction. He graduated from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management and is a DBIA Certified Professional, an IPI Certified Project Leader and LEED Accredited Professional.

Rob Reaugh is a professional facilitator, mediator, trainer and keynote speaker in the field of construction conflict prevention and resolution. He joined OrgMetrics team in 2012, has facilitated more than 100 sessions, and has worked as a professional mediator since 2007. From 2011 – 2016, Rob served as the first, full time Executive Director for International Partnering Institute, the industry’s only non-profit organization focused on developing and aggregating research and educating the industry on the value and best practices in Structured Collaborative Partnering. He continues to volunteer for IPI and serves on the Board of Directors.

Chris Shoemaker has more than 20 years’ experience in the construction industry as superintendent for complex, multi-stakeholder, collaborative delivery projects. His clients include the Norman Y. Mineta SJC Airport, where he design-built a hybrid fire station project that serves both the airport and the City of San Jose. Additionally, he has delivered projects for NASA Ames Research Center and several Silicon Valley school districts. He is currently building Collaboration Commons, a $100M+ design build, state-of-the-art facility at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Carla Short was appointed Director of San Francisco Public Works by Mayor London Breed on Nov. 8, 2023. She had been serving as Interim Director since August 2021.

Prior to serving in the department’s top post, Short was superintendent of the Bureau of Urban Forestry. She began her career with Public Works in 2004 as the City’s Urban Forester and became superintendent in 2015. She filled in as the department’s Deputy Director for Operations for eight months starting in fall 2019 and served as deputy chief of the Bureau of Street-use and Mapping.

During her tenure at the Bureau of Urban Forestry, she led the development and implementation of StreetTreeSF, a voter-approved initiative that transferred maintenance responsibility of San Francisco’s 124,000-plus street trees to Public Works and created a sustainable funding stream to pay for the program.

Short holds a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies and English from Vassar College. She also studied African literature, history, religion and culture at University of Ibadan in Nigeria.

Prior to joining Public Works, she worked for several nonprofits, including Conservation International, Conservation Society of Sierra Leone and Tombo Wallah Farmers Association, spearheading conservation initiatives in West Africa.

She is a Certified Arborist under the International Society of Arboriculture.