Former Port of Oakland staffer returns as Commissioner

Oakland, Calif. – Dec. 13, 2018: Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce CEO Barbara Leslie has joined the Port of Oakland’s governing Board of Port Commissioners.  Ms. Leslie, a onetime Port Government Affairs Specialist, replaces Earl Hamlin who resigned from the seven-member Board.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf nominated Ms. Leslie for the volunteer post.  The City Council appointed her this week.

“We’re pleased to welcome a colleague to our Board with such deep roots and commitment to Oakland,” said Ces Butner, President of the Board of Port Commissioners.

Ms. Leslie went to work for the Chamber of Commerce in 2014 as its first woman President and CEO. She has 25 years’ experience in both the public and private sectors, including service as Assistant to the City Manager during the Brown Administration and more than a decade directing External Affairs and philanthropy for AT&T in the East Bay. She worked at the Port in 1998 and 1999.

“Oakland has been at the center of my professional life and it’s gratifying to return to the Port in a new capacity,” said Ms. Leslie.

Ms. Leslie has served as Chair of the Oakland Workforce Investment Board, a Board Member for the Oakland African American Chamber Foundation, the Youth Employment Partnership, the Hayward, Walnut Creek, Oakland and Berkeley Chambers of Commerce and as an appointee on multiple civic committees.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics and a master’s in Public Administration.

About the Port of Oakland

The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland Seaport, Oakland International Airport, and nearly 20 miles of waterfront including Jack London Square. The Port's 5-year strategic plan - Growth with Care - pairs business expansion with community benefits, envisioning more jobs and economic stimulus as the Port grows. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States. Connect with the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport through Facebook, or with the Port on Twitter, YouTube, and at www.portofoakland.com.

Media Contacts

Mike Zampa
Port of Oakland
Communications Director
(510) 627-1565
[email protected]

Marilyn Sandifur
Port of Oakland
Port Spokesperson
(510) 627-1193
[email protected]

###