San Jose, CA – Guadalupe River Park Conservancy’s Board of Directors announces Jason Su as our new Executive Director, effective June 3, 2019. Jason previously served for five years as the Street Life Manager at the San Jose Downtown Association, fostering collaborations with businesses, nonprofits, foundations, and the public sector. He has also held positions at the San Francisco Department of Public Works, SPUR, and the Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County.
“Jason stood out among candidates for his grasp of urban issues and ideas around park activation,” says Board President, Jodi Starbird. “His inclusive nature and true understanding of our mission, upcoming opportunities, and how to best position ourselves for the future is impressive.” Jason earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics and Sociology from UC Irvine, a certificate in landscape architecture from UC Berkeley, and a Master’s degree in urban planning at San Jose State University, where he currently lectures graduate students in a planning studio course focused on Downtown San Jose and the Diridon Station Area.
Jason succeeds Leslee Hamilton who has served in this role with heart and soul since 2008. “Jason is an excellent choice; he’s very familiar with downtown civic and business leaders and brings excellent academic credentials to the Conservancy,” says Leslee.
He will join the Conservancy on June 3 and overlap briefly with Leslee. He will oversee a million-dollar budget and a staff of five FTEs plus part-time education and Rotary PlayGarden staff members. Jason wants our friends and supporters to know he is enthusiastic about furthering his involvement in the collective energy focused on making downtown the best it can be. “I look forward to new opportunities and the continued work to make public spaces beautiful, memorable, and welcoming for all,” says Jason. In his spare time, he enjoys Krav Maga and CrossFit training, volunteering, visiting national parks, and exploring different cities for street art. Jason lives in downtown San Jose.
