Board of Directors

Shawn VanDiver is the founder of #AfghanEvac and works with government leaders at all levels throughout California to identify innovative solutions to long-term civic challenges. Shawn is the founder of the San Diego Chapter of the Truman National Security Project and serves as Executive Director of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum’s San Diego Chapter. He also serves on the Boards for Emerge California, Veterans Community Connections and the Downtown San Diego Partnership. 

He attended National University, the Naval Postgraduate School, and University of San Francisco and holds degrees and certifications related to homeland security, cybersecurity, emergency management, and public leadership. Shawn is a Navy veteran, proud father and avid sailor.

Will Rodriguez-Kennedy is a public servant and community leader who serves as a Defense and Veteran Affairs Field Representative in the Office of Congressman Scott Peters and as the Vice President of the County of San Diego Civil Service Commission. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he has more than a decade of demonstrated service to community, county, and country.

Will became civically active in his fight against the unconstitutional "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy when he was outed in the military as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Since then, Will has been a leading voice on issues of social and economic justice. His previous board service includes San Diego LGBT Pride and the San Diego County Veteran and Military Advisory Council.

Alyssa Turowski is the General Manager of the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, where she is responsible for overseeing the guest experience and operations of the hotel, located at the 18th green of the prestigious Torrey Pines South Golf Course with views of the Pacific Ocean. With more than 20 years of experience in tourism and hospitality, 15 of her years have been here in San Diego.

Alyssa’s volunteer experience has included serving on the San Diego Tourism and Marketing District board and the San Diego County Lodging Association. The San Diego Women in Tourism and Hospitality named Alyssa a 2022 Honoree.

Gretchen Newsom is an International Representative for the Ninth District of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Previously, she served as the Political Director for IBEW Local 569. She specializes in labor relations, government affairs, and community advocacy.  

A graduate of the California State Executive Fellowship Program, Gretchen serves on the California Employment Training Panel, the California Coastal Commission as an alternate Commissioner, and the San Diego Regional Airport Authority Audit Committee as Chair. She is President Emeritus of the Ocean Beach Town Council.  

Gretchen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Humboldt State University with a degree in Government and Politics.

Jessica Anderson is the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. In this role, she leads the Chamber’s strategy, vision, and day-to-day operations.

Anderson served the City of San Diego for more than a decade as a senior advisor to two San Diego mayors, Mayor Todd Gloria and Mayor Kevin Faulconer. She brings extensive experience in public policy, coalition building, strategic planning, and government affairs.

A graduate of New York University, Anderson has certificates of completion from the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the University of San Diego's Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate Finance and Development, and is a San Diego Leadership Alliance Fellow. She currently serves on the Board of the Downtown San Diego Partnership and the San Diego Airport Advisory Committee.

Jeff Gattas is the Associate Chancellor and Chief of Staff at UC San Diego, where he serves as the senior strategic advisor to the Chancellor and the campus executive leadership team. As a key architect of the Chancellor's strategies and tactics to achieve institutional goals and objectives, Jeff provides senior executive-level oversight and coordination to implement the directives and institutional initiatives of UC San Diego. Jeff also leads the University Government and Community Relations unit.

Jeff has over twenty-five years of experience in communications, government, and public affairs. At UC San Diego, he previously served as Executive Director for University Communications and Public Affairs. Jeff also served as San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders’ Director of City Council Affairs, as Chief of Staff/Policy to San Diego City Councilmember and Acting Mayor Toni Atkins, and District Director and Press Secretary for California Assemblymember Denise Moreno Ducheny.

Sam Nejabat serves at the California Department of Justice as the Senior Advisor of Business Affairs to Attorney General Bonta. Previously, Sam was Assistant Deputy Director of External Affairs for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, and served as President of SJN Properties from 2013 to 2020. He is a member of the 22nd District Agricultural Association Board of Directors.

Sam earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California Berkeley, a juris doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and a Master of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from Dartmouth College.