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- Meet the Commissioners
Meet the Commissioners
| Commissioner Kat Anderson | President Kat Anderson’s appreciation for nature and open space was sparked while growing up in the San Fernando Valley and Little Rock, Arkansas. Today, Kat is happiest walking a park trail or along the Marina, especially if her kids, Patrick and Deedee, join her. She is an avid backpacker and loves to say hi to her friends at Camp Mather before hiking up into the Hetch Hetchy wilderness.
Kat combines her love of the outdoors with her support of many local recreation/conservation projects and advocacy groups, including The Francisco Park Conservancy, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Marina playground renovation, tree-planting in partnership with Friends of the Urban Forest, and the Sierra Club. She has supported all parks bonds to hit the SF ballot box.
In 2023, Kat became a California-certified Climate Steward and is trained to speak with any and all communities about climate change. In August 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Kat to a California Parks Commission for Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation. You might find her operating a side-by-side or a motorcycle.
Kat moved to San Francisco in 1988 to attend Hastings College of the Law. She specialized in labor and employment law for many years. She retired as interim Executive Officer of Pacific Media Workers Guild – the news union, where she created and co-founded a mentorship training program for college journalism students called “Bay News Rising.” From 2018 through 2021, Kat opened and operated a cafe in the Bayview district called “Word. A cafe.”
Kat graduated with distinction from Stanford University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She volunteers on the boards of the Foundation of City College and Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg, and is President of the City Democratic Club. Her favorite food is tacos. |
| Commissioner Joe Hallisy | Vice President Joe Hallisy is a native San Franciscan. He grew up in the Ingleside District, where he spent much of his youth in the parks, playgrounds, pools, and gymnasiums of the City. He began coaching youth sports following his graduation from St. Ignatius, serving as Athletic Director at both St. Anne and St. Cecilia schools. He was inducted into the CYO Hall of Fame in 2018. He continues to be an advocate for youth fitness, following his 50 years of teaching P.E. at St. Thomas Apostle School. Hallisy retired from the San Francisco Fire Department in 2011 after 30 years of service. He ran the SFFD FLAME Program for the last six years of his career, sponsoring athletic leagues, tournaments, and activities for SF youth. From 2005 to 2011, he served as the Chair of the San Francisco Youth Baseball Board, a joint partnership between the SFFD and SFRPD. He holds a BA in Broadcasting from San Francisco State University and has announced the SFSU graduation at Oracle Park since 2018. In addition, he has served as the public address announcer for USF Dons men’s and women’s basketball since 1985. He was honored by USF for his service to the University with the Cable Car Award in 2010 and was named Don of the Year in 2019. He is no stranger to Civic Center, as he has served as M.C. for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade since 2014. He and his wife, Claudine live in the Inner Sunset. They have three children. | |
| Commissioner Sonya Clark-Herrera Sonya Clark-Herrera has lived in San Francisco for nearly 25 years. She and her husband Eugene raised their two children in the SOMA neighborhood of District 6. As a family, they spent countless hours in parks throughout the city playing sports, celebrating milestones, and building community. Sonya enjoys biking around the city and she and her family are avid surfers at the city’s beaches. Sonya is a muralist and the co-founder of a non-profit youth development organization. Since 2000, Sonya has dedicated herself to the growth and success of historically disadvantaged youth and the creation of public art as a form of cultural sustainability. Committed to art and youth advancement, Sonya currently serves as a trustee for the Oakland Museum of California, on committees for the Museum of the African Diaspora, and on the parent advisory council for her children’s colleges, Columbia University and Occidental College. Sonya earned her B.A. in Social Science and B.S. in Biology from the University of California, Irvine, and her M.S. in Biomedical Anthropology from Columbia University. She is currently writing a cookbook to memorialize and celebrate the cuisine of her Mexican, Indigenous and African American family. |
| Commissioner Vanita Louie Commissioner Vanita Louie is currently serving her second term on the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission, reappointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie. A native San Franciscan with deep roots in Chinatown, she brings a strong equity-focused lens and community-driven approach to her role. She has been a consistent advocate for the residents and visitors to have access to parks and recreation. With over 230 parks, she is proud that San Francisco’s park system currently ranks among the top six in the nation. In addition to her work on the Commission, Vanita serves on the San Francisco Bay Area Hep B Free Governance Council, working to eliminate hepatitis B and address health disparities in Asian American communities. She enjoys contributing to Japantown’s vibrancy and cultural preservation as a board member of the Japantown Community Benefit District. She is also a past president and active member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown, supporting humanitarian projects that strengthen communities both locally and globally. Vanita’s relationship with Rec & Park spans generations. She grew up attending programs at Chinese Recreation Center (now Betty Ann Ong Recreation Center), and later enrolled her two daughters in summer day camps offered by the department. Today, she remains active in the system—participating in aqua fitness at Rossi Pool, yoga at the Conservatory of Flowers, and playing pickleball citywide. Prior to focusing on civic and community leadership, Vanita had a successful career in the travel industry, where she led her company with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. She lives in the Anza Vista neighborhood with her husband, Austin, and their dog, Nikita, and holds a B.A. in Business Administration from San Francisco State University. |
| Commissioner Larry Mazzola Larry was born and raised in San Francisco. He went to St. Stephen’s grammar school and graduated from Sacred Heart High School and then attended San Mateo Junior College. Larry then entered the Local Union 38 Plumbers Apprenticeship Program for the next 5 years until he became a journeyman plumber. After working as a journeyman plumber, he then went to work as the Assistant Apprentice Coordinator to the Local 38 Training Program. He went on to other various jobs with the Union such as Organizer, Business Agent, Assistant Business Manager, until he was elected Business Manager & Financial Secretary-Treasurer in July 2013. In 2015, Larry was elected President of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council. He is also a Vice President of the San Francisco Labor Council and Vice President of the California State Federation, AFL-CIO. Larry has always been eager to donate his time to help the community. He started out on the San Francisco Film Commission for 4 years then on to the Treasure Island Development Authority Board for 6 years and now is excited to be appointed to the San Francisco Recreation & Park Commission, where he feels he can serve our community well. | |
Commissioner Meredith Wiliams She has been a resident of the Castro for more than 20 years. Meredith is a passionate birdwatcher who can often be found at Heron’s Head Park, Sutro Woods, or Golden Gate Park, enjoying San Francisco’s rich variety of birdlife. She also enjoys hiking and the occasional invigorating swim in the Bay. Meredith holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. in physics from North Carolina State University. | |
| Commissioner Carey Wintroub Carey Wintroub grew up in the Adirondacks Mountains in Upstate New York and made San Francisco her home more than 25 years ago. After spending six years in financial services, she chose to dedicate her time to building community with a focus on youth development and excellence in education. In 2002 Carey launched Girls on the Run of the Bay Area, an independent 501(c)(3) that has provided more than 30,000 girls in the Bay Area with curriculum-based running programs that build confidence and inspire healthy, active lives. She has also served on the boards and in leadership roles at local schools and nonprofits. A lifelong runner and cyclist and a chronically aspiring tennis player and golfer, Carey is happiest outside in the Northern California sunshine. She and her husband have three daughters who all enjoy San Francisco’s wooded trails, playgrounds, and athletic fields, as well as the occasional chilly swim in the Bay. She received her BA from Northwestern University and her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. | |