San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie names OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, former fire chief to transition team

San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie announced members of his transition team, a group that he described as "shaking up the status quo" which include Open AI CEO Sam Altman and retired Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White.

In a statement Monday, Lurie described the seven co-chairs as a "talented and diverse team" that would "lay the groundwork for the change San Franciscans demand."

"Every one of these incredible leaders brings a track record of shaking up the status quo to deliver results. My transition co-chairs share my commitment to building an accountable, effective government to tackle the many challenges confronting our great city," Lurie said in a statement.

Among the co-chairs of the team include Altman, the co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence company perhaps best known for ChatGPT. Altman is also the chairman of energy firms Helion and Oklo and was previously president of startup accelerator Y Combinator.

Also named as a co-chair is Joanne Hayes-White, who served as chief of the San Francisco Fire Department from 2004 to 2019 and was the first woman in the role. Hayes-White was also the longest serving fire chief in city history.

Since retiring from SFFD, Hayes-White has served on the State Board of Pilot Commissioners and an advisor to the city's Department of Emergency Management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, she is serving as the Deputy State Director for outgoing Sen. Laphonza Butler.

Another member of the transition team is former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. The youngest person elected mayor in the Central Valley community, Tubbs has been credited with launching an experimental Universal Basic Income program which gave $500 / month to residents in poverty.

Other co-chairs include Jose Quinonez, CEO of the nonprofit Mission Asset Fund, Lurie campaign co-chair Ned Segal, prosecutor and San Francisco Democratic Party chair Nancy Tung and retired San Francisco Police Department commander Paul Yep.

"This is a group of individuals that is committed to accountability, to service, and to change here in San Francisco. They represent a diverse set of viewpoints," Lurie said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). "I look forward to leaning on them in the days to come as we get ready to tackle some of our biggest challenges, including public safety. Making sure we tackle that behavioral health crisis we see every day on our streets. Making sure we get more housing built. Making sure that we streamline the bureaucracy so that once again City Hall is working for you."

A newcomer to elected office, Lurie defeated incumbent Mayor London Breed and several other challengers in the election earlier this month. Lurie is the founder of the antipoverty nonprofit Tipping Point and is an heir to the Levi Strauss & Co. fortune.

In an interview with CBS News Bay Area in September, Lurie appeared to revel in his outsider status.

"You've got to be all in if you're going to do something as crazy as run for mayor of your hometown," he said.

"I think people have always underestimated me. I think people think, 'Oh, everything just was handed to him,'" Lurie went on to say. "Listen, I've had a lot of opportunities. I will never deny that. I work hard at everything I do."

Lurie, who will become the city's 46th mayor, is set to take office on Jan. 8, 2025.

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• OpenAI
• Sam Altman
• San Francisco