Betsy Brennan serves as 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 120 to provide a broad spectrum of services to benefit Downtown. These include providing a quality membership program to more than 300 stakeholder organizations, conducting successful advocacy in service of the organization’s mission, telling the story of the Downtown market as an ecosystem for investment and growth, and providing enhanced services above city baseline through the Clean & Safe program to make 280 blocks of Downtown more clean, safe, and vibrant. Since 2018, Brennan has brought her background in government at the both the federal and city level, leadership roles at community-serving nonprofits, and as the Chief of Staff to the Presidents of both San Diego State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to the benefit of the organization and San Diego’s urban center. Her leadership has helped the Downtown San Diego Partnership gain new relevancy and established Downtown’s voice as a critical piece of the bright future of the San Diego region.
Brennan earned her Juris Doctor, with a specialization in land use law, at the University of San Diego School of Law and her undergraduate degree in International Diplomacy and Spanish at the University of Richmond. She also received a credential in strategic perspectives in nonprofit management from Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program.
Betsy serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations in San Diego County, including the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the Board for the International Downtown Association. Betsy also completed LEAD San Diego Impact (2005), Influence (2018), Leadership SLO (2011) and Leadership CA (2016). In 2022 and 2026 she was recognized as “CEO of the Year” by the San Diego Business Journal and has been listed annually as one of the publication’s “SD 500 Influential Business Leaders” from 2019 through 2026. In 2026 she was named as one of “50 People to Watch in San Diego” by San Diego Magazine and included among the “Top 50 San Diego Women Leaders” by the San Diego Chapter of the Women Leaders Association. Originally from Rochester, NY, Betsy lives in San Diego with her two teenage sons.
As a global leader of cities research at the Gensler Research Institute, Sofia Song leads a cross-disciplinary team of designers, architects, planners, economists, and technologists to generate new insights and data that can redefine the future of our cities. She also represents Gensler as a Strategy Officer at the World Economic Forum, focusing on how industries can catalyze change. Prior to Gensler, Sofia led research at proptech and real estate companies as well as held roles in transit, community, and public space planning. She is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Master’s from the University of Southern California.
Nolan began his professional life as an entrepreneur and small business owner and refocused his career around public service and community building after losing his home and his business in Hurricane Katrina. Over the last 20 years, Nolan has been a leader in rebuilding and reimagining systems, programs, and places that make incredible cities better. Nolan worked on public safety and criminal justice policy, public education policy, government efficiency and ethics, and land use policy, while serving as the Associate Director of Common Good at Loyola University and Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Cowen Institute at Tulane University.
Nolan’s experience in the economic development and place management industries includes serving as Director of Public Affairs and Policy at the Downtown Development District in New Orleans, Executive Director of Uptown Dallas, Inc., Chief Engagement and Solutions Officer at the New Orleans Business Alliance, and President and CEO of Downtown Vancouver in British Columbia. He was appointed to public service boards by Governors and Mayors, including terms as Chair of the New Orleans City Planning Commission. Nolan has served on police department advisory boards in the US and in Canada, served on civil rights, community, park, zoo, aquarium, economic development district, and charter school boards, and co-founded nonprofits to guide the work of community building.
His most rewarding endeavor is being a husband, father of two boys, and best friend to his miniature schnauzer, Larry David. Nolan and his family live in the Social District and are proud to call it home. Their favorite activity in the Social District is attending a performance or interview with a legend or new artists at the Clive Davis Theater in the GRAMMY Museum.
For over 15 years, Robbie Silver has dedicated his career to community building in service of nonprofit organizations, city government, and downtown improvement districts. He currently serves as President & CEO of the Downtown San Francisco Partnership, an urban placemaking and district management organization representing the Financial District, Jackson Square, and The Embarcadero.
Robbie assumed leadership of the organization at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding the board through a comprehensive strategic planning process and leading the development of the award-winning Downtown San Francisco Public Realm Action Plan. Under his leadership, the Partnership has launched several high-impact initiatives, including Let’s Glow SF, now the largest projection light festival in the United States, generating $26 million in economic impact over five years, and California’s first Entertainment Zone and now a $40 million waterfront park.
A leading advocate for the recovery of downtown city centers, Robbie has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Washington Post, and Smart Cities, and has received multiple placemaking awards from the International Downtown Association. He has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as an OUTstanding Voice, a 40 Under 40 honoree, and a Person to Watch for 2026.
He recently completed an early district renewal and expansion campaign, which will generate over $160M over the next 10 years.
Heather S. Riley is a partner in the San Diego office of Allen Matkins. Her practice focuses on helping commercial and residential developers, real estate firms, and public agencies navigate complex project approvals, entitlement strategy, environmental review, and litigation. With deep experience in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Heather is known for her ability to manage the details that matter most in moving discretionary projects from initial planning through permitting, agency review, and, when necessary, defense in court.
She has represented clients in land use and environmental actions in both trial and appellate courts and has worked with local leaders and agencies on land use and regulatory updates. Heather’s clients value her practical judgment, careful attention to the project record, and ability to translate technical planning and environmental issues into clear, accessible language for decision makers, community members, and judges. She maintains strong working relationships with agency professionals, consultants, opposing counsel, and environmental stakeholders throughout Southern California, enabling productive dialogue even on challenging or controversial projects.
In addition to her legal practice, Heather has held leadership roles with professional and civic organizations, including the San Diego County Bar Association, the Building Industry Association of San Diego County, the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Lawyers’ Club, the University of San Diego Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate: Policy Advisory Board and the Urban Land Institute San Diego/Tijuana Chapter. As a moderator, she brings a balanced perspective, command of complex development issues, and a collaborative approach to guiding thoughtful discussion.
