Commission re-elects Pedroza as chair, Josefowitz as vice chair

Emphasizing the importance of continuity and stability in the face of upcoming challenges —and after nearly three years of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic — MTC last week voted to re-elect both Chair Alfredo Pedroza and Vice Chair Nick Josefowitz to their existing leadership positions. This marks the first time in Commission history that the  Chair and Vice Chair have been chosen to serve consecutive two-year terms.

“The opportunity to continue being part of the leadership team is an honor that I take very seriously,” said Pedroza, who also serves as a Napa County Supervisor. “I thank you for the vote of confidence. We have a lot more work to do.”

Josefowitz, who serves as the San Francisco Mayor’s appointee to the Commission sounded similar themes at MTC’s Jan. 25 meeting, when the Ad Hoc Nominating Committee established in December 2022 reported its recommendations for the 2023-25 leadership terms. “We’ve got a lot of big opportunities before us. We can deliver the largest investment in affordable housing in this region’s history. We can seamlessly integrate our transit networks in a way that’s never been done before. And we also have a huge amount of challenges we’re going to have to face together. Alfredo, I’m looking forward to taking this on as your vice chair.”

The three-member Ad Hoc Nominating Committee was led by Jim Spering, who represents Solano County and its cities on the Commission. Other members included Union City Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci, who represents the cities of Alameda County on the Commission and Supervisor Federal Glover, who represents Contra Costa County.

Observing in January that more than half of the current membership joined the Commission after its last full in-person meeting in February 2020, Spering noted, “The Nominating Committee determined it is essential that we bring Commissioners back together. It is essential that we get to know one another, build real relationships and renew trust. The best way to achieve these goals is through continuity. Chair Pedroza is willing to see to completion the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force. He is a respected county supervisor who understands the pressures of elected office and who is committed to putting in the time and effort to play the important role of a neutral arbiter of some potentially difficult conversations that are coming our way as we seek to save the transit system we currently have while we make the important plans to grow it as well.”

Pedroza has represented Napa County on the Commission since 2017 and served as MTC’s Vice Chair from 2019-21 before ascending to the Chair position in February 2021. He first was elected to the Napa City Council in 2012, and then appointed in 2014 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to represent the Fourth District on Napa County’s Board of Supervisors. Pedroza won election to a full term on the Board of Supervisors in 2016 and was re-elected in November 2020. A Napa native, Pedroza is a graduate of Sonoma State University, where he earned a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Economics.

Josefowitz, who is the Chief Policy Officer at SPUR, has served as a Commission member since 2017 and as Vice Chair since 2021. After founding and managing a solar energy development company, Josefowitz served as a member of the BART Board of Directors. He also has served on the boards of Capitol Corridor and the San Francisco Environment Commission.