My guest for this episode is Alex Shoor. Alex is a community advocate driven by two interconnected goals: make Silicon Valley more equitable, vibrant, and sustainable, as well as make government as responsive, cost-efficient, and innovative as possible. Alex is the co-founder and Executive Director of Catalyze SV (Silicon Valley), a nonprofit organization striving to better engage the community in the development process in order to get more housing & better development built. Alex co-founded the organization in December 2016 to address Silicon Valley’s housing crisis, transportation challenges, & need for more community-driven, dynamic development.
Previously, Alex consulted for Valley Transportation Authority on extending BART into Silicon Valley while working at Katz & Associates, a communications and public engagement consulting firm. Prior to that, he was a Policy Aide for Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager for three years covering land use, development, transportation, sustainability, energy, public safety, government operations, and community engagement.
Before pivoting to policy, Alex worked in the communications field in New York City, where he served as an Assistant Press Secretary for the New York City Public Advocate, Account Executive for Fenton Communications, and the Southern Media Strategist for GLAAD. Alex has also worked as a political staffer on Capitol Hill and as a grassroots organizer on a US Senate campaign.
Raised in Silicon Valley, Alex came home in 2012 after a dozen years away. I’ve worked in San Mateo, Alameda & Santa Clara County for the juvenile justice organization FLY as its Director of Government Affairs. He is in his second term as Vice-Chair of San Jose’s Housing and Community Development Commission. He also serves on the Advisory Board of New Leaders Council Silicon Valley chapter.
Alex studied Political Science and African American Studies while earning a BA from Vanderbilt University and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
We discuss his work in community development but also his experience with fiscal sponsorship.
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To learn more about and connect with Alex go to CatalyzeSV.
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