Rules Committee forwards Alicia John‑Baptiste to full Board for Transbay JPA seat

The Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Jan. 25 voted unanimously to recommend Alicia John‑Baptiste to the full board for appointment to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, advancing the nomination with a residency waiver. Committee members said John‑Baptiste's combination of city experience and regional policy work made her a strong fit for the role.

John‑Baptiste, who serves as president and CEO of SPUR, described more than a decade and a half of work in San Francisco government — including at the city planning department and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency — and said public transit and land‑use choices determine who can access jobs and services. "I think that this board has the opportunity to really shape the experience of hundreds of thousands of people who are residents of the Bay Area as well as San Francisco," she told the committee.

Vice Chair Rafael Mandelmann and other members asked John‑Baptiste about the Transbay JPA's next phase, including the downtown extension and bringing Caltrain and, possibly, high‑speed rail into the terminal. John‑Baptiste emphasized the need for regional coordination, first‑ and last‑mile connections and seizing federal infrastructure opportunities to align Bay Area priorities.

A single member of the public, David Piltell, called in to endorse John‑Baptiste. Chair Aaron Peskin moved to send the nomination to the full board "with recommendation, with a residency waiver," noting the nominee lives in the East Bay by night and in San Francisco by day. The clerk recorded aye votes from Mandelmann, Supervisor Connie Chan and Peskin; the motion passed without objection.

The nomination will appear before the full Board of Supervisors for final action.