LEADERSHIP
President & CEO
Betsy Brennan is the President & CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the economic prosperity and cultural vitality of Downtown’s urban neighborhoods. Brennan leads the organization’s staff of more than 100 to provide a broad spectrum of services to benefit Downtown. These include providing a quality membership program to more than 300 individuals and stakeholder organizations, conducting successful advocacy in service of the organization’s mission, telling the story of the market as an ideal place for investment and growth, and providing excellent enhanced services to make 275 blocks of Downtown more clean and safe. Since 2018, Brennan has brought her background in leadership at the City of San Diego, community-serving nonprofits, and educational institutions to the benefit and growth of the organization, helping it gain new relevancy as a critical piece of the bright future of the San Diego region.
Brennan earned her Juris Doctor, with a specialization in land use, at the University of San Diego (2003) and serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations in San Diego County as well as the board for the International Downtown Association. In 2022 she was recognized as CEO of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal.
Chief Operations Officer
& Executive Vice
President
As Chief Operations Officer, Justin leads the day-to-day operations of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, where he drives future growth and strategy for the organization of more than 100 employees. Justin obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Baldwin-Wallace College with a major in International Business. He went on to attend Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he obtained his master’s degree in Intercultural Relations with a concentration in Training and Consulting. Justin has a proven track record of stabilizing, systemizing, and growing businesses. He was a founding member and Chief Operating Officer of Mission Edge, one of the largest management consulting organizations for social enterprises and nonprofits in San Diego. He has served as an executive coach for local leaders, board strategist and startup specialist. Justin has also served in other operations and finance leadership roles, and as a human resource and operations consultant for event planning companies and restaurants. His community involvement includes board leadership at local nonprofits such as Community HousingWorks, The AjA Project and the Columbia Community Foundation. Justin and his partner, JC, enjoy the theatre scene in San Diego, all the hiking opportunities our region offers and trying new restaurants in San Diego’s growing culinary space.
Senior Vice President &
Executive Director
Clean & Safe
As Executive Director of the Downtown San Diego Partnership Clean & Safe program, Alonso oversees one of the largest Property and Business Improvement Districts in the country servicing over 275 city blocks with an annual budget of 12 million dollars. The program employs more than 120 full-time employees who provide enhanced public services 24 hours a day, seven days a week above those offered by the City of San Diego. Alonso first joined the Downtown Partnership in 2005 as a Safety Ambassador. He quickly moved up the ranks and was promoted to Executive Director in 2016 where he learned the value of frontline staff and their crucial part in keeping Downtown San Diego clean and safe. In his current role, Alonso enjoys working with residents, business owners, and Clean & Safe staff to find creative ways to improve Downtown San Diego. During his off time, he enjoys spending quality time with his three daughters and wife.
Director of People & Culture
April Hill is the Director of People & Culture at the Downtown San Diego Partnership where she serves as the top people leader responsible for the vision, strategy, development, and execution of organizational effectiveness, talent, and culture management programs aimed at advancing the mission and enhancing organizational results. April has 10+ years of human resources and managerial experience, and specializes in employee engagement, development, and training. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Tennessee State University and her Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Management from Argosy University. April has a passion for community and serves as committee chair for two nonprofits where she has an enormous impact on the youth. In April’s spare time she loves to travel and explore new beaches around the world.
Vice President of Policy
& Civic Engagement
As Vice President of Policy, Josh leads a team that elevates the mission and vision of the Downtown San Diego Partnership by cultivating and maintaining critical relationships to advance transformative policies and projects. Josh received his undergraduate degree from Niagara University and his master’s degree from Canisius College. Additionally, Josh is a graduate of the San Diego Leadership Alliance and a current board member for San Diego LGBT Pride. For self-care, Josh and his partner John enjoy traveling, walking their rescue dog Lucy along the beach, and enjoying a glass (or two!) of wine.
Vice President of Marketing
& Communications
Sarah oversees the Marketing & Communications department for the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Her responsibilities include connecting residents, businesses and stakeholders to the DSDP’s stories of impact, advocacy and growth, showcasing DSDP marketing initiatives and campaigns, and managing the development of creative assets to promote Downtown’s prominence in the region. Sarah received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego. With her combined history in both public service and public relations she brings a strong background in communications, marketing and government to the DSDP. She is a graduate of the LEAD Impact program and spends her spare time performing with a local choir.
THE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP TEAM
Controller
April Hill is the Director of People & Culture at the Downtown San Diego Partnership where she serves as the top people leader responsible for the vision, strategy, development, and execution of organizational effectiveness, talent, and culture management programs aimed at advancing the mission and enhancing organizational results. April has 10+ years of human resources and managerial experience, and specializes in employee engagement, development, and training. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Tennessee State University and her Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Management from Argosy University. April has a passion for community and serves as committee chair for two nonprofits where she has an enormous impact on the youth. In April’s spare time she loves to travel and explore new beaches around the world.
Director of Safety Services
Clean & Safe
Dani’s journey with Clean & Safe began in 2014 when she started as a maintenance ambassador, detailing the streets of East Village and City Center. Five years later, after being promoted to both Captain and Supervisor, Dani now serves as the Clean & Safe Operations Manager and is proud to contribute to the success of her team alongside her colleagues. Raised in National City and a San Diegan at heart, Dani comes from a large family and grew up playing soccer. Now, she coaches her nieces’ soccer teams – they are undefeated champions! Dani also likes traveling to different national parks to find peace and quiet in nature. Locally, she enjoys attending small-venue concerts and Symphony performances at the Tower or the Embarcadero.
Director of Maintenance
Services
Clean & Safe
Ernesto began his journey with the Downtown Partnership as a Maintenance Ambassador in 2008. His
time on the maintenance team gave him great insight into the different dynamic communities in Downtown San Diego. His hard work and dedication to improving Downtown quickly led Ernesto to a supervisor role, then to Operations Manager for the Clean & Safe program. Now, Ernesto manages maintenance, landscaping, power washing, special projects, volunteer events, and contractors. Outside of work, he spends time every week volunteering at Cornerstone Church of San Diego. Ernesto thoroughly enjoys being an active member of both his church and Downtown communities. He
appreciates having the opportunity to make a difference in creating a clean, safe, enjoyable Downtown San Diego.
Executive Administrator
Director of Shelter
Operations
Jocelyn comes to the Downtown San Diego Partnership with 14 years of experience working with people experiencing homelessness. Prior to joining the Downtown Partnership team, Jocelyn was a Case Manager III for Lutheran Social Services of Southwest out of Phoenix, Arizona. During her time at Lutheran Social Services of Southwest, she oversaw the women’s shelter in Mesa, Arizona and the men and women’s shelter in Surprise, Arizona. Jocelyn brings a great deal of compassion, dignity, respect and experience to her work with the less fortunate. During her time out of the office, she enjoys traveling and exploring new things!
Director of Business
Engagement
As the Director of Business Engagement, Joel oversees the management and execution of the marketing and development efforts for the City Center Downtown Improvement District (BID). Prior to joining the DSDP team, Joel was part of the City of Menifee’s Office of Economic Development, where he oversaw business retention, attraction, and expansion for the City. His passion in working with businesses comes from being part of a small business owning family and knowing the challenges given to businesses. When Joel is not working, you can find him playing golf in one of many beautiful golf courses in San Diego.
Director of Events &
Programs
As the Downtown Partnership’s Director of Events, Kathryn manages all aspects of the organization's member events and programs. She is also responsible for supporting the Downtown Partnership's membership recruitment and retention efforts. Kathryn is a San Diego native and has spent the majority of her career in the hospitality and event industry in Downtown. She loves that her work provides the opportunity to work creatively to deliver memorable experiences. Kathryn received her bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of California, San Diego. Outside of work, she enjoys going to concerts, practicing yoga, spending time with friends and family, and trying out different restaurants around San Diego.
Director of Unhoused
care team
As the Director of our Unhoused Care Team, Natalie leads a dedicated team focused on the reduction of homelessness in the downtown area through outreach, street-based case management, and family reunification services. Natalie holds a bachelor's degree in social sciences from California State University of San Marcos and is driven by a passionate commitment for social change. Natalie has made it her life's mission to advocate for marginalized communities and lead initiatives aimed at improving their lives. During her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her partner Rayne and their two cats Mango and Coco. She can also be found enjoying the vibrant energy of live concerts and music festivals.
DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
As the Downtown Partnership’s Director of Economic Development, Nathan leads the organization’s efforts in developing strategic initiatives that cultivate the economic vitality and growth of Downtown San Diego. He actively promotes investment and real estate development in Downtown through tenant recruitment strategies and market analysis. Prior to joining the DSDP team, Nathan served as Economic Development Director at the Denver South Economic Development Partnership in Colorado and has over a decade of experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. He received his undergraduate degree from Murray State University and his graduate degree in Urban & Regional Planning from University of Colorado - Denver. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, golfing, traveling, and exploring new local restaurants with his wife and daughters.
Director of Finance &
Administration
A graduate of San Diego State University with a BS in Accounting, Terri Johnson has an active CPA license in the state of California. With over 25 years of experience managing the financial health of non-profit organizations, Terri brings valuable leadership experience and technical knowledge uniquely relevant to the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Her responsibilities include managing all aspects of financial health for DSDP including budgeting and forecasting, strategic financial planning and reporting, interfacing with executive team and governing bodies, annual audit and tax filings, reporting and compliance for contracts and agreements with funders, managing the organization’s processes and internal controls to ensure the safeguarding of assets, and supervising day-to-day accounting activities.
Marketing & Communications
Manager
Danielle Cobb is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Downtown San Diego Partnership where she is responsible for overseeing the organization’s earned and owned communications channels, supporting the execution of marketing and communications strategies to tell DSDP’s story, and establishing KPIs to track success. Prior to this role, she built her career in some of San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle’s top PR agencies as an earned media specialist working with brands in food and beverage, lifestyle, travel, consumer technology, and nonprofits. Danielle received her bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from San Diego State University.
Program Manager
John began working at the Downtown San Diego Partnership Clean & Safe program in 2017 as a maintenance ambassador. Since then, he has worked as a Project Lead for enhanced services in the East Village community and was later promoted to Operations Supervisor and now Program Manager. He is proud to be a part of an organization that takes care of and respects the community it represents. John was born and raised in Chula Vista and his previous experience includes work in construction, plant nurseries, and building maintenance. During his off hours, John likes to spend time with his fiancé visiting the beaches and restaurants in San Diego.
government affairs manager
As the Government Affairs Manager, Jordan is focused on securing policy and legislative wins that advance the needs of the organization, members, property owners, businesses, and residents of Downtown San Diego. With a background in public policy, economic research, and commercial real estate, she brings a data-driven approach to her work. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of San Diego. Additionally, she is a graduate of San Diego Leadership Alliance, Housing Policy Leadership Academy, and Citizens Water Academy and volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) with Voices for Children. In her free time, you'll find her exploring San Diego's coffee spots with her rescue pup Cody, geeking out on housing policy, or cheering for the Golden State Warriors.
Operations Manager
Clean & Safe
Regina started working for Clean & Safe as a maintenance ambassador in 2005. Now, after having served as both an assistant supervisor and a supervisor, Regina manages the operations of financial functions for the program in her role as Finance and Operations Specialist. Regina received her A.A. in Behavioral Sciences and a Certificate in Mental Health from San Diego City College in 2013. She also received her B.A. in Liberal Arts (with an emphasis on Social Work – Gerontology) in 2019, and plans to return to SDSU for a Masters in Social Work. When not in the office, Regina enjoys traveling, going to the movies, and spending time with her family. She volunteers for the City of San Diego’s Therapeutic Services where she works at events hosted for mentally challenged adults, as well as at the Neighborhood House Adult Day Health Center. working with the seniors.
Senior Financial Accountant
People Operations Manager
Samuel Hernandez Meza is the People Operations Manager at the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Sam manages key HR initiatives and has responsibilities in employee engagement, relations, and training and development. Sam brings many years of experience in human resources, non-profit organizations, and management – most notably nearly nine years at the YMCA of San Diego County. Sam has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentration in Human Resource Management from University of Phoenix, and a Human Resource Certification from UCSD. Sam is an active community volunteer. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors, hiking and running, as well as spending quality time with his family.
Junior accountant
Albert serves as the Junior Accountant for the Downtown San Diego Partnership. He recently completed his undergraduate studies in December 2022, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Accountancy at San Diego State University. As a Junior Accountant, his responsibilities include accounts payable and accounts receivable as well as other accounting duties. He is excited to learn and grow with the organization and all it has to offer. In his spare time, he likes to maintain an active lifestyle, spend time with family, and expand his knowledge by reading.
People Operations
& Data Specialist
Anya joined the organization in 2022 and has continued her growth as the People Operations & Data Specialist. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she brings a range of experience in mixed method data collection and researching community frameworks. Previous research conducted includes demographic analysis for the Red Cross San Diego Chapter and food insecurity issues experienced by college students for the University of North Texas.
With a Bachelor of Science in Cultural Anthropology from Oregon State University and a Master of Science in Applied Anthropology from the University of North Texas, Anya is highly interested in how community members engage with surrounding environments.
Although Anya has lived in San Diego since childhood, she continues to explore the region and its various natural landscapes. In her moments of leisure, she enjoys spending time with her family, photographing the outdoors, observing nature, and growing food in her urban garden.
Membership Coordinator
Blake serves as the Membership Coordinator for the Downtown San Diego Partnership. His responsibilities include assisting with membership growth and retention efforts, as well as providing support to current members. Blake graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in business management and his prior experience includes work in operations, the brewing industry and firefighting. He began working in the non-profit sector with the San Diego Housing Federation and is excited to continue down that path at the Downtown San Diego Partnership. In his free time, he likes to surf, play music, and go backpacking with friends.
Office Coordinator
Clean & Safe
Charity is the Office Coordinator for the Downtown San Diego Partnership Clean & Safe program. Her responsibilities include assisting the program director and managing the day-to-day needs of the office staff. Prior to joining the Downtown Partnership Clean & Safe team, she worked in the legal field for 15 years. Charity is a San Diego native and likes all things music, live shows, collecting records, and discovering new sounds. She also thoroughly enjoys a good horror film.
Civic Engagement
Coordinator
As the Civic Engagement Coordinator, Clayton works to foster community involvement, promote civic participation, and drive positive change in downtown San Diego. For as long as he can remember, Clayton has wanted to work in and help better the communities he is a part of, and he is excited to work with community stakeholders to help build the future of downtown. Clayton is proud to have been educated at institutions that make up all three of the segments of California’s higher education system: AA degree from Bakersfield College, BA degree from University of California, Davis, and an MA degree from San Diego State University. Prior to joining DSDP, he worked as a field representative for both the California State Assembly and the United States House of Representatives. He is also proud to serve as a Director on the Bakersfield College Alumni Association Board. In his free time, Clayton can be found unapologetically rooting on his college athletics teams, watching professional baseball and Formula 1, and exploring all that San Diego has to offer with his fiancée
Events and Programs
Coordinator
Jenny works as the Events and Programs Coordinator for the Downtown San Diego Partnership. She assists in all aspects of planning the organization’s member events and programs, community events, and experiences for the Downtown community. Jenny received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from San Diego State University. During her time there, she was a part of the event planning team for an organization on campus which sparked her love for events and hosting. In her free time, Jenny likes to explore the newest trending spots in San Diego, have competitive game nights with friends, and get active through hiking and yoga.
Marketing Designer
Sam is the Marketing Designer for the Downtown San Diego Partnership where he is responsible for overseeing the organization’s brand and digital marketing content. Sam works closely with every department to create and bring to life their visual needs such as logos, graphics, website, and social media visuals. Sam received his bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in digital marketing.
Unhoused Care Team
ProgramS Manager
Roger joins the Unhoused Care Team with a background in behavioral health programs in San Diego. Prior to his time at the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Roger worked at Telecare mental health center where he developed a huge heart for helping those who need a little extra care. When he’s not working, Roger loves giving back to the community in any way he can, spending time with family, working out, biking, playing sports, and gaming.
Unhoused Care Team
Program Manager of
Shelter Operations
Megan joins the Downtown San Diego Partnership team with her most recent experience as both a resource and then an outreach specialist with Father Joe’s. Megan enjoys playing soccer and computer games, and spending time with her two cats. She is proud to have been born and raised here in San Diego.
Unhoused Care Team
Lead Coordinator
Family Reunification
Program Lead Coordinator
Sabrina joined the homeless outreach team in September of 2019 as the Travel Coordinator. Before her journey to the Partnership, she worked as a college advisor through UC San Diego’s TRiO Outreach Program, where she guided and advised first generation, low income high school students in their pursuit of higher education. Sabrina graduated from UC San Diego in 2018 with a B.A. in Ethnic Studies, which led to her interests in community and outreach work. She has always been passionate about changing her community in a positive way and helping others be the best version of themselves. Since working in Downtown, Sabrina has learned there is always something new to see, but most of all, she loves being able to help a community that people often ignore or shame. In the future, she hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology with a focus on black trauma and PTSD. When Sabrina is not at work she loves to read, paint, and learn new skills.
Unhoused Care Team
Community Assistant
Unhoused Care Team
Coordinator
Unhoused Care Team
Coordinator
Unhoused Care Team
Coordinator
Unhoused Care Team
Onsite Coordinator
Unhoused Care Team
Case Manager
Unhoused Care Team
Coordinator
Family Reunification
Program Coordinator
Unhoused Care Team
Coordinator
Oliver joins the Downtown San Diego Partnership with a background in social services. His previous experience has taught him how important cross collaboration is with other teams and organizations to help our city’s most vulnerable population. It’s that mentality and an enthusiasm for serving the community he brings to the Unhoused Care team. Outside of work, Oliver is proud of his heritage. He believes active language learning is an experience and enjoys helping others translate different languages.
Unhoused Care Team
Onsite Coordinator
senior Supervisor
Clean & Safe
Mark began his journey on the Clean & Safe team in 2012 as a maintenance ambassador. He originally started as an ambassador in the Marina District and was then promoted to Cortez captain which expanded his responsibilities within the company. Shortly after, he was promoted to the role of swing shift supervisor. Mark takes great pride in his work when it comes to maintenance in all areas of Downtown. When he’s not working, Mark enjoys cooking and barbequing.
Operations Day Shift
Supervisor Clean & Safe
Operations graveyard
Supervisor Clean & Safe
Cesar’s journey with the Clean & Safe team began in 2014 as a swing shift trash truck driver focusing on pulling trash throughout all the city grids. During this time, he worked alongside SDPD assisting with clearing encampments, illegal dumps, and painting over graffiti. Later, he transitioned to the graveyard shift trash truck driver and was then promoted to graveyard shift supervisor. Cesar has enjoyed working with a team who is continuously seeking knowledge and can learn from each other’s skills, experience, and wisdom. He is proud to be part of such an important organization that is responsible for keeping our beautiful urban neighborhoods clean and safe.
Operations Swing Shift
Supervisor Clean & Safe
Operations graveyard
Supervisor Clean & Safe
Johnnie started working with the Downtown San Diego Partnership Clean & Safe program in 2008. He first began his work in the East village area and has since gotten to know every neighborhood in our Downtown thanks to his experience as a driver. Johnnie also gained experience as a trash truck driver where he excelled and trained others to follow in his steps. In recognition of his dedication to the Clean & Safe team and his work, Johnnie was promoted to his current role of operations supervisors on the graveyard shift in 2021. Johnnie has a great sense of humor and loves to build people up.
Operations Swing Shift
Supervisor Clean & Safe
Operations Dispatcher
Clean & Safe
Operations Dispatcher
Clean & Safe
Luis has been with the Clean & Safe program since 2014. He began as a maintenance ambassador and moved into a training position where he prepared new hires for the field before moving into Special Projects. Now, Luis serves as the Operations Dispatcher for Clean & Safe where he manages incoming inquiries from the community and deploys team members to address them. In his spare time, he coaches adult and youth soccer teams throughout San Diego and has even recognized by the Latino newspaper for his mentorship of youth soccer. Raising his extraordinary 11-year-old son, mentoring kids, and giving back to his community in San Diego are what drive
him most.
Maintenance Ambassador
Lead Clean & Safe
Maintenance Ambassador
Lead Clean & Safe
Maintenance Ambassador
Lead Clean & Safe
Landscaping Lead
Operations Specialist
Clean & Safe
Aydan is the Operations Specialist for Clean & Safe at the Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP). He set up and administrates DSDP’s GIS infrastructure, mapping assets like Trashcans and Trees, takes photos, and leads C&S’s Fleet Tracking System. Joining DSDP as an intern in March 2022, he started his current position in July 2023. Aydan honed his skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), earning a B.A. in Geography and Minor in Sustainability from California State University Northridge. He also holds an FAA 107 Remote Pilot License. In his free time, Aydan enjoys exploring new places, playing the piano, and spending time with friends and family. He loves being part of the DSDP team, where he feels he’s making a difference.