[Skip to Content]
Port of Oakland Mobile Logo
JOIN USFull Menu
Image of Oakland's Board of Port Commissioners Elects New Officers

Oakland’s Board of Port Commissioners Elects New Officers

Press Releases, Seaport, Airport, Commercial Real Estate, Community
July 25th, 2011

Press Releases

For Immediate Release
July 25, 2011

Oakland's Board of Port Commissioners Elects New Officers

 

President - Pamela Calloway 1st VP Gilda Gonzales 2nd VP James Head
President
Pamela Calloway
1st Vice-President
Gilda Gonzales
2nd Vice-President
James W. Head

Oakland, CA -- July 25, 2011 -- The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners has three new officers. The Port Board approved a resolution officially ratifying the election of new officers July 21, 2011. The Port Board elected Commissioner Pamela Calloway to serve as president of the board. Commissioner Gilda Gonzales was elected to serve as 1st vice president (1st VP) and the out-going Board President, Commissioner James W. Head, was elected 2nd VP. Board members recognized outgoing President Head for his service. Head stated, “I am appreciative of the opportunity to have served as President of this highly effective board and to work with the world class Port of Oakland staff. I am excited about what we have been able to accomplish during this past fiscal year including a major trade mission with Oakland Mayor Quan to China promoting US exports, bringing in new flights to Oakland International Airport, and bringing on board a new investor to revitalize Jack London Square.” After the ratification of the election, President Calloway said, “I value the strong and effective leadership of my predecessor, Commissioner James Head. He led the Port through the first year of our 5-year strategic plan with great integrity, transparency and accountability. I look forward to continuing these standards of excellence as we aggressively pursue inclusive economic development for the Port-city of Oakland to produce more jobs for Oakland and the region."

President Calloway – Ms. Pamela Calloway, principal of Calloway & Associates, is an attorney with expertise in developing and implementing creative private-public partnerships and initiatives for investment in workforce and economic development to meet business needs through governmental relations, human resources development and strategic planning. Previously, Ms. Calloway served as Vice-President and Director of the California Office for Public/Private Ventures (P/PV). P/PV, a social policy think tank with offices in Philadelphia, New York City and Oakland, tackles critical challenges facing low-income communities by seeking out and designing innovative programs, rigorously testing them and promoting solutions proven to work. Prior to work at P/PV, Ms. Calloway served as Chief of Staff for the Workforce Investment Board in San Francisco and as President of the Private Industry Council there. She is a graduate of Fisk University (BA) and Georgetown University Law Center (JD).

1st VP Gonzales – Ms. Gilda Gonzales is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Unity Council and has a significant history of public service. During her fourteen-year career with the City of Oakland, she gained experience in municipal financing and budgeting, public policy, economic development and government relations. She served in many capacities from Budget Analyst, Special Assistant to the Finance Agency Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, and Chief of Staff to former City Manager Robert Bobb and former Mayor Jerry Brown. In 2004, Ms. Gonzales was named the Chief Executive Officer for the Unity Council. The Unity Council is a non-profit community development corporation committed to enriching the quality of life of families and individuals primarily in the Fruitvale District of Oakland.

2nd VP Head – Mr. James W. Head is Vice President of Programs at The San Francisco Foundation and has over 25 years of experience in the field of community and economic development. Mr. Head served as President of the National Economic Development and Law Center for 17 years before coming to the Foundation. A lawyer by training, Mr. Head has significant nonprofit management, programmatic, and legal experience and has worked on nonprofit legal issues, nonprofit finance issues, as a consultant to foundations, financial institutions, business, government, and as a professor of law. Mr. Head’s community service is extensive having been a member of numerous Foundation Advisory Boards, including the Open Society Foundation of New York, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation of Michigan, and the Columbian Foundation of San Francisco. Head received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law and has bar memberships in Georgia, Florida, and California.

About the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners
The Port of Oakland is governed by a seven-member Board of Port Commissioners. The Board oversees the use of income from Port properties, approximately 16,000 acres stretching from the borders of Emeryville in the north to San Leandro in the south. The commissioners are nominated by the Mayor of Oakland and appointed by the Oakland City Council. They are residents of the City of Oakland and serve staggered four-year terms without compensation. Their responsibilities are vast and require a great deal of their time, all donated to the Port.

About the Port of Oakland: The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport offers over 300 daily passenger and cargo flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Web sites: portofoakland.com and oaklandairport.com. Visit us on Facebook.

Media Contacts:

Isaac Kos-Read
External Affairs Director
(510) 292-5715
[email protected]