The SF Chamber’s UniteSF program is dedicated to convening leaders in the business and education communities to collaborate to help students prepare for college and today’s global economy and workforce.
UniteSF is a foundation program of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and reflects our commitment to promote business engagement by strengthening educational pathways from high school through post-secondary success to meaningful local careers.
During October, UniteSF has made great progress in advancing our mission. Here are a few highlights:
• UniteSF participated in the My Brother and Sister’s Keeper (MBSK) workshop to help develop its “cradle-to-career” strategy for young people of color, specifically with the African American Postsecondary Pathway. The MBSK collaborative launched its local action plan summary this past July, and aims to deploy over $16 million annually in targeted resources to drive opportunities for youth with the highest risk of victimization or incarceration.
• Program director Laura Moran spoke on a panel about Creating an Inclusive San Francisco at this year’s Tech Inclusion Conference. The conference, presented by Google for Entrepreneurs, focused on what can be done to ensure that we are driving an inclusive future for everyone. Moran and four other leaders, including Melissa Dodd, the chief technology officer for SFUSD, spoke on the effects of the tech industry on diversity and inclusion in San Francisco and how companies and nonprofits can address the growing income disparity.
• Katie Ferrick, director of community engagement for LinkedIn, spoke on behalf of UniteSF at the San Francisco Business Times’ 2017 STEM Education Leadership Summit. The panel highlighted the importance of collaboration in shaping true STEM education talent pathways, as well as what schools, businesses, and policy leaders are doing to invest in STEM education and close the gender and minority gap in technology fields.
• UniteSF was a participant at the East Bay Workforce Alliance’s discussion on Ensuring Future Talent. Partnering with regional area leaders is one way that UniteSF works to create a collective impact in ensuring a collaborated change in preparing local students for college, as well as the 21st-century global economy and workplace.
• Wrapping up October was the Spark*SF Public Schools’ annual gala, “Spark a Revolution”. Spark*SF is a nonprofit group composed of dedicated and dynamic professionals who are raising funds and advocating on behalf of the SFUSD. Attendees met with the new superintendent of SFUSD, Dr. Vincent Matthews, and learned about the big shifts needed to truly transform education in San Francisco.
Stay tuned on the latest updates from UniteSF by following the SF Chamber on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. To learn more about UniteSF and its projects, visit unitesfeducation.com or contact Laura Moran at lmoran@sfchamber.com.
 SFBT’s STEM Education Leadership Summit |
 Laura Moran, center, with other attendees of the Spark*SF annual gala |
 Tech Inclusion Conference panel on Creating an Inclusive San Francisco |