John Rizzo
John Rizzo
For City College Board 2022
Technology & Environmental Professional
John Rizzo was first elected to the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees in November 2006. He is currently the Vice President of the Board of Trustees and chairs the Board’s Facilities Committee. He also serves on the Board’s Budget Committee.
As Facilities Chair, John Rizzo works to ensure that new building projects meet the needs of current and future students, and are completed on time and on budget. He is currently working several projects that will replace dilapidated old buildings with state-of-the-art teaching facilities that are clean, green buildings with a low carbon footprint. He worked on an agreement with a developer to provide teacher housing at Ocean Campus and is now working to provide much-needed student housing.
On the Budget Committee, John has pursued responsible budget solutions in a time of COVID-induced nationwide enrollment decline.
John is also a member of the Standards Review Team of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). The task of the team is to review draft revisions to Leadership and Governance accreditation standards and to recommend edits.
John is a long-time environmental activist with the Sierra Club who received a commendation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for his work promoting green energy and fighting new fossil fuel facilities. At City College, he pushed to create the first Sustainability Plan, pushed for LEED Gold and Platinum standards in new buildings, and championed the use of renewable geothermal power at the Ocean Campus.
John Rizzo also served the city as a Commissioner on the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority, where he worked for improvements to public safety, the lowering of speed limits in the park, and the creation of crosswalks and bicycle lanes.
John previously worked as a technical journalist, and is the author of 14 books about computer technology. He was the publisher and editor of the MacWindows web site. He has also taught adult education and has written educational materials. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Rutgers University.
Endorsements
Elected Officials & Community Leaders
State Senator Scott Wiener
Former Senator Mark Leno
Judge Quentin L. Kopp, former state senator
Assemblymember Phil Ting
Assemblymember Matt Haney
Former Mayor Willie Brown
Public Defender Manohar Raju
Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Supervisor Matt Dorsey
Supervisor Dean Preston
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Supervisor Gordon Mar
Organizations
The Sierra Club
San Francisco Building & Construction Trades
Labors 261, International Labrorers Union
Eastern Neighborhoods Dem Club
D11 Democratic Club
The San Francisco Chronicle
See full list of endorsements here.