San Francisco—BART riders and others who have stopped using the system or reduced their use dramatically say they would return in significant numbers if crime, safety and cleanliness issues are addressed, according to new polling released today by the Bay Area Council. Concerns about crime far outweigh remote work as the reason they are not riding. The findings offer an encouraging path forward for a system that is teetering on the brink of a fiscal cliff as BART ridership hovers at historic lows following the pandemic.
A Bay Area Council analysis of the poll findings suggests that by taking a much stronger and swifter approach to crime, safety and cleanliness, BART could see up to 300,000 more trips over the course of the workweek, pushing ridership above 50% of pre-pandemic levels.
Key Findings
- 79% say they feel more comfortable riding BART when there is a uniformed police officer or security present
- 73% say BART should prioritize adding more uniformed police on trains and in stations
- 62% say BART should improve fare gates to prevent fare evaders; 66% want fare gates to fully enclose station entrances
- 79% say BART should eject people from the system that violate the passenger code of conduct, which prohibits drugs, smoking, drinking and other illegal or unacceptable behavior
- 65% say BART should focus on core operations and leave social service issues to other public agencies
- 90% put high priority on more frequent cleaning
- 74% feel things in the Bay Area have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track
Riders and residents overall are crystal clear about what the main barriers are for them to returning to BART. Among all respondents, including those that never or rarely ride BART, 78% said they would ride BART more often if it was significantly cleaner and safer. This number is particularly striking when compared to the far fewer 46% of respondents who stated they would ride BART more often if they had to commute to work or school more frequently.
There is similar enthusiasm for returning to BART among the 37% of respondents who were regular BART riders before the pandemic but have since dramatically curtailed their use of the system or dropped off completely. These riders may represent BART’s best opportunity to bring more riders back to the system more regularly, with 59% saying they would ride BART a lot more often with safety and cleanliness improvements. But they also generally harbor much stronger levels of dissatisfaction with the system than others who are not BART riders.
“There can be no higher priority for BART and the future survival of the system than to direct every ounce of energy and resources into making the system safer and cleaner,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council, which was instrumental in the creation of BART in the 1950s and has long been a champion for the system. “We specifically call on BART to immediately and significantly increase police and security personnel on trains, vigorously enforce the rider code of conduct, and install new fare gates within a year. BART must treat this like a crisis, because it is a crisis. BART is the mass transit backbone of our region and there’s too much at stake for BART and our region not to be more aggressive in addressing the reasons legions of riders are staying away. BART deserves credit for recent moves to increase police presence and ramp up cleaning, but riders and others are saying they must do more and they must do it now.”
Read the full BART poll questionnaire>>
The concerns about safety and cleanliness are reflected in overall sour views of the system, with 49% giving BART an unfavorable rating compared to 30% for SF MUNI, 23% for AC Transit and 15% for Caltrain. The poll by EMC Research surveyed 1,000 residents in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and northern San Mateo counties encompassing BART’s service area. The poll has a margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points.
Having a more visible police presence across the system is critical to bringing riders back. A vast majority of all those surveyed say they want more police officers on trains and in stations, they want more frequent cleaning of train cars and stations, and they want BART to strictly enforce an existing code of rider conduct which outlaws gate-hopping fare cheats, drinking and smoking, drug use and other illegal and dangerous behaviors.
These attitudes shouldn’t come as a big surprise. According to the poll, 53% of residents know of someone who has been a victim of crime on BART, 46% say they have witnessed crime on BART, and 18% say they personally have been a victim on crime on BART. Meanwhile, 44% of BART riders said they have never or rarely seen a police officer.
Read MoreExpanded portfolio brings a strong mix of larger well-known beverages along with smaller local brands to be delivered by award-winning, locally owned beer and beverage distributor
Antioch, California, May 10, 2023 – Markstein Sales Company, the largest woman-owned and operated wholesale beverage distributor in Northern California, announced today that it has bolstered its product portfolio through the purchase of key brand distribution rights for multiple products from Bay Area Distributing. Through this agreement, Markstein will now be able to provide its customers with even more well-known national brands, as well as local brands, ensuring that all quality beer and beverages have the same opportunity for purchase on the store shelves.
Both Markstein and Bay Area Distributing have deep roots and commitment to their local communities. Bay Area Distributing was established in 1972 by Ken Sodo who recently announced his retirement from the company. Likewise, Markstein has been a strong supporter of the Northern California community for more than 100 years and has grown and expanded its business to service more than 3,000 retail accounts in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
“We wish Ken the best of luck in his retirement as he trusts Markstein to continue bringing the community a strong mix of large and small beverage brands,” said Laura Markstein, President of Markstein Sales Company. “As a company with more than 220 employees living locally, we are proud of supporting our community, whether that is through sponsoring events, funding local organizations, volunteering our time, or helping hard-working local beverage companies get on the coveted store shelf. We work in, live in, and love this community and we are always looking for ways to provide the best service, products, and support to the best region in the world.”
New Brands Coming to Markstein
Some of the additional brands Markstein will now be able to provide its customers include:
- Alcoholic Beverages – Asahi, Bear Republic, Drakes, Dust Bowl, Famosa, Farmers, Full Circle, High Water, Shadow Puppet and Two Pictures
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages – Calypso, Nestle and Poppi
About
Markstein Sales Company is a fourth-generation, woman-owned and operated wholesale beverage distributor based in Antioch, Calif. Founded in 1919 with just a horse, a wagon and six cases of beer, Markstein is now in its 103rd year and distributing over four million cases annually to 3000 plus retailers in the Bay Area. The company’s portfolio is composed of multiple world-class beers including the Anheuser-Busch InBev family of beers, several high-quality craft beers, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Markstein is known for outstanding customer service, dedication to their employees and commitment to the community, and was voted a 2021 Bay Area Top Workplace. The company continues to rank as best in class by retailers and is one of the top five largest Woman Owned Businesses in the Bay Area. More information can be found at https://www.marksteinsalescompany.com.
Read More
By Contra Costa Health
After receiving a call from a resident this morning, our hazmat team identified an additional location in Martinez contaminated with mercury – this one near Rankin Park where Buckley Street hits a dead end. The team immediately conducted cleanup operations at this location after confirming the presence of mercury in the street. We did a visual inspection in the park itself and did not find any evidence of mercury in the park. (See related article)
Contra Costa Health spoke with the City of Martinez maintenance team and determined that the same garbage truck that collected trash at the Amtrak Station also serviced this location near Rankin Park on Monday, May 8. We have updated the map showing the route the garbage truck took after emptying the contaminated trashcan at the Amtrak station.
Hazmat cleanup crews are currently in the process of decontaminating parts of streets in the Martinez downtown area where mercury has been seen. We estimate the cleanup will take 1-2 days. There will be rolling street closures throughout the day today and possibly into tomorrow as the cleanup work is being done.
The Amtrak station remains closed and we don’t have an estimate for when it will reopen.
Anyone at the Amtrak station Monday or anyone who walked along the affected streets that thinks they may have stepped in mercury should take precautions to avoid contact with it. Shoes or clothes that have touched mercury should be double bagged and sealed shut and placed outside. Call our Hazmat Program at 925-655- 3200 during regular business hours for further handling instructions.
Read MoreReview comes amidst allegations of bigoted text messages and other potentially discriminatory misconduct
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced initiating a civil rights investigation into the Antioch Police Department (APD). The investigation will seek to determine whether the law enforcement agency has engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing amid deeply concerning allegations relating to bigoted text messages and other potentially discriminatory misconduct. If, through this investigation, the Attorney General’s Office determines that unlawful activity or practices took place, the office will also determine what potential actions are needed to ensure comprehensive corrective action takes place at APD. (See related articles here and here)
“It is our job to protect and serve all of our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Police departments are on the front lines of that fight every day as they work to safeguard the people of our state. However, where there are allegations of potentially pervasive bias or discrimination, it can undermine the trust that is critical for public safety and our justice system. It is our responsibility to ensure that we establish a culture of accountability, professionalism, and zero tolerance for hateful or racist behavior, on or off duty.”
Under the California Constitution and California Civil Code section 52.3, the Attorney General is authorized to conduct civil investigations into whether a law enforcement agency has engaged in a pattern or practice of violating state or federal law. As opposed to a criminal investigation into an individual incident or incidents, a pattern or practice investigation typically works to identify and, as appropriate, compel the correction of systemic violations of the constitutional rights of the community at large by a law enforcement agency. With regard to the Antioch Police Department, the Attorney General has made no determinations at this time about specific complaints, allegations, or the agency’s overall policies and practices. The Attorney General’s independent investigation of APD is separate from ongoing or potential administrative or criminal investigations at the local and federal levels.
As interaction and cooperation with the community is at the core of law enforcement’s work to provide public safety and create public trust, the Attorney General encourages anyone with information relevant to this investigation to contact the California Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Enforcement Section at Police-Practices@doj.ca.gov. Members of the public may also send information to the California Department of Justice in other languages. During the course of the investigation, attorneys and special agents at the California Department of Justice will work diligently to consider all relevant information, including from community members and organizations, local officials, oversight entities, Antioch Police Department, and individual officers.
Attorney General Bonta is committed to strengthening trust between local law enforcement and the communities they serve as one key part of the broader effort to increase public safety for all Californians. In February, Attorney General Bonta launched an investigation into allegations of excessive force at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Last year, the Attorney General assumed responsibility for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s investigation related to contracts awarded to a local nonprofit. He worked with authorities in San Francisco to help ensure the continuation of local oversight efforts related to officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and severe uses of force. Attorney General Bonta also opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. In 2021, the Attorney General launched an independent review of the Torrance Police Department and secured a stipulated judgment against the Bakersfield Police Department requiring an extensive range of actions to promote public safety. Attorney General Bonta also established the Racial Justice Bureau within the Civil Rights Enforcement Section to, among other things, help address issues of implicit and explicit bias in policing.
Read More
Spread of mercury contamination first discovered at Martinez Amtrak station wider than initially believed
Avoid parts of downtown, sections of streets temporarily closed over next several days
By Contra Costa Health
Last updated: May 9, 2023, 8:09 pm
Further investigation by county health officials shows traces of mercury was inadvertently spread by a garbage truck while traveling on its route after picking up contaminated trash from a waste receptacle at the Amtrak station in downtown Martinez on Monday.
To reduce the potential risk of exposure to mercury, Contra Costa Health (CCH) asks the public to avoid walking on the streets in affected parts of downtown Martinez and use the sidewalks until the residue of a spill is removed, so people or pets do not track the material indoors.
The contamination is limited to the street and has not been detected in amounts great enough to create an immediate risk to health.
“From a health standpoint, our primary concern is that people don’t step in the mercury on the street and bring it inside their homes where indoor vapors may pose a health hazard,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, the County’s health officer.
Dr. Tzvieli added that while the health risk posed by exposure to mercury from this release is low, it’s important for the community to be informed of any potential health risks and take appropriate actions. CCH issued a health advisory to the community earlier this evening.
Initially, the mercury release was thought to be contained to the area immediately outside the train station. But after examining the five-block route taken by the city of Martinez garbage truck today, Contra Costa Health’s hazmat team and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified small amounts of mercury in the roadway, primarily on Marina Vista and Alhambra Avenues and Berrellesa Street.
Sections of these streets will be temporarily closed over the next several days while cleanup takes place:
Marina Vista Avenue between the station and Alhambra Avenue; Alhambra from Marina Vista to Buckley Street; Buckley from Alhambra to Berrellesa Street; Berrellesa from Buckley north to the Martinez City Public Works yard.
The train station has been closed since mid-afternoon on Monday after ambulance paramedics from Confire at the site, who were there for another matter, saw mercury on the ground. Mercury has also been detected inside the train station itself.
Anyone at the Amtrak station Monday or anyone who walked along the affected streets that thinks they may have stepped in mercury should take precautions to avoid contact with it. Shoes or clothes that have touched mercury should be double bagged and sealed shut and placed outside. Call our Hazmat Program at 925-655-3200 during regular business hours for further handling instructions.
Instructions
Shoes or clothes that have touched mercury should not be brought inside if it can be avoided. Never attempt to wash an article that may be contaminated with mercury, by hand or with a washing machine. This can increase the risk of the mercury being vaporized.
It is not known who dumped the mercury at the Amtrak station or why. Local law enforcement is investigating the matter.
Read More
Assisted by CC Sheriff, CHP, Concord PD; suspect held on $900,000 bail
By Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard
SHOOTING ON LORENZETTI DRIVE
On Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 4:52PM Oakley Police Officers were dispatched to the 4300 block of Lorenzetti Drive for a 44-year-old male who reported he had just been shot. Our officers arrived a few minutes later and found the victim on his front porch suffering from a gunshot wound to his groin area.
The victim informed officers he was shot by an African-American male who was between 20-25 years old, the victim further stated he was confronted by a total of three African-American males. The suspects fled in a black Volvo after the shooting and the victim was able to take a photograph of the license plate of the Volvo before the suspects fled. The victim was transported to a local hospital for the treatment of his wounds, where he remains in an unknown condition today.
Our officers broadcasted the license plate, and the severity of the situation, to all local law-enforcement agencies. Shortly thereafter a deputy sheriff from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff got into a pursuit with the Volvo heading west bound on Highway 4. The Volvo was lost during the pursuit somewhere in the area of Highway 4 and the Port Chicago exit.
Officers from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, Oakley Police Department, Concord Police Department and the Pittsburg Police Department began searching the area for the Volvo. The Volvo was found on a nearby surface street, it was unoccupied and it had obviously been involved in a crash as evidenced by significant damage and deployed airbags. Officers from all five agencies began searching an adjacent field for the suspects. Two Pittsburg Police canine teams were brought in to assist with the search.
After a very extensive search one of the suspects was found hiding in a bush in the field. The suspect who was found is also the registered owner of the Volvo, the suspect is identified as Bryan Cummings (19, Oakland). Cummings was taken into custody and arrested, and later booked, for the shooting. A “ghost gun”, a gun with no manufacturer markings or serial numbers, was found inside the Volvo. In this case the lower frame of the handgun had no manufacturer associated with it and it had no serial numbers, the lower frame was mated to a Glock slide. The gun was loaded with live rounds and it had an extended magazine in it. A large amount of marijuana was also found inside the Volvo.
Oakley Police detectives were called in to begin their investigation. At this point it is believed two other suspects are involved and we are working to identify them.
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, Cummings is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on $900,000 bail.
“The known suspect in this case is rather young, being only 19 years old. However, he has already been arrested as an adult- once for carrying a loaded firearm with an extended magazine (Alameda County case), and again for robbery, conspiracy, possession of a firearm, hit and run and obstructing law enforcement officers (Alameda County case). He will now also deal with his arrest in our case. It is sad to see somebody so young on such a negative path in life. I do hope something happens in this young man’s life that will change his ways, but I fear for people who may become future victims of his. For this reason I urge the maximum amount of accountability to be applied in this case.
My department will continue to try to identify all of the involved parties to hold them accountable for any wrongdoing they may have done. I appreciate all of the assistance we received in this case from all of our allied partners”.
SHOOTING ON EAST RUBY at THIRD STREET
On May 7, 2023 at 5:07PM Oakley Officers were dispatched to the area of E. Ruby Street and 3rd Street for the report of another shooting. Officers found spent shell casings in the area and reviewed surveillance video that was made available to them. In the video we have determined a Gray SUV was chasing a Black Buick Regal and the occupants of the SUV were shooting at the Buick.
We checked nearby houses and vehicles, and we did not find any bullet holes in any of them. We also checked with local hospitals to see if there were any victims from this incident and we were informed nobody had been checked in for gunshot wounds (outside of the victim from our case on Lorenzetti Drive). This case remains under investigation.
If anybody has information on either of these cases please call us at 925-625-8060.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read More
An autopsy determined Ivan Gutzalenko’s cause of death was “Prone restraint asphyxia and cardiac arrest while under the influence of methamphetamine.”
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has issued a report on the death of 47-year-old Ivan Gutzalenko after an encounter with Richmond Police officers in 2021.
As previously reported, on March 10, 2011, the Richmond PD Communications Center received a 911 call from a business owner in the 12600 block of San Pablo Avenue, advising of an individual who was creating a disturbance inside the business and damaging property. When officers arrived, they found the 47-year-old man stumbling around. He had fallen to the ground. The man appeared to be in medical distress or under the influence of drugs. Officers tried to calm the man and provided medical assistance to him until the paramedics arrived.
Officers placed him in a prone position while one officer placed his knee on the individual’s lower back to handcuff him. The man was placed on a gurney and taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, despite all lifesaving measures the man passed away.
“Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident (LEIFI) reports are part of my policy of being more transparent in the criminal justice system,” District Attorney Diana Becton noted. “Even in complicated cases like this one, it’s important for the public to know the details of an investigation and how my team and I reached our legal decision.”
Each LEIFI report summarizes the results of the District Attorney’s independent criminal investigation, includes a summary of an autopsy, the outcome of a coroner’s inquest, a legal analysis of the facts, and a determination of criminal liability.
According to the LEIFI report, “On March 11th, 2021 an autopsy was conducted on Gutzalenko by Dr. Arnold Josselson. Blood samples taken from Gutzalenko tested positive for methamphetamine. Gutzalenko’s cause of death was listed as ‘Prone restraint asphyxia and cardiac arrest while under the influence of methamphetamine.’”
In the case of Ivan Gutzalenko, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s legal analysis determined that the officers’ use of force on March 10, 2021, was reasonable given the circumstances. The analysis also found insufficient evidence to prove that the force used by the officers caused Mr. Gutzalenko’s death. Therefore, no further action will be taken in this case.
To read the complete LEIFI report on Ivan Gutzalenko, click here.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreContra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC) has earned an A grade for hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit evaluator of healthcare services.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade evaluates nearly 3,000 general acute-care hospitals across the U.S. for occurrence of preventable safety problems such as surgery-related infections or complications, observed safety incidents, and the presence of staff training and procedures to prevent errors in care.
The latest grades, released Wednesday, show that CCRMC, which is part of Contra Costa Health (CCH), provides its patients with some of the safest, highest-quality healthcare in the nation.
“Our county’s commitment to health and equity for all underscores our belief that our county’s most vulnerable and lowest-income residents deserve the highest quality medical care,” said John Gioia, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “We are proud that Contra Costa’s full-service community hospital has been recognized for the excellence and quality of its care.”
Leapfrog assesses several dimensions of patient safety including medication safety, complex surgeries for pediatric and adult patients, maternity care, intensive care unit staffing, patient safety practices, managing serious errors and outpatient procedures.
“It really comes down to our staff. It’s an honor to work with so many dedicated, talented health professionals, all of them focused on delivering the best possible care for our patients,” CCH Chief Executive Officer Anna Roth said. “Their daily efforts are reflected in this grade.”
CCRMC is a full-service, 164-bed county hospital that offers patient-centered healthcare services in a modern hospital, including a 24-hour emergency department, and 10 satellite health centers providing high-quality care throughout the county.
CCRMC has been recognized in recent years for many efforts to improve health in Contra Costa County, including the California Association of Public Hospitals, Cal Hospital Compare and the Lown Institute. In 2020, Leapfrog and Newsweek rated CCRMC among the nation’s top hospitals for maternity care.
“We are proud and grateful to be recognized by Leapfrog for patient safety, because safety is our top concern,” said Dr. Samir B Shah, Chief Executive Officer of CCRMC. “Developing, teaching and following best practices improves outcomes, prevents mistakes and improves our patient’s experience. Our clinical system emphasizes a culture of safety where every staff member knows the importance of their contribution in risk reduction at CCRMC. It’s part of our mission, to care for and improve the health of all Contra Costa residents.”
Read the Spring 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for CCRMC here.
Read More
A toxicologist hired by the County this week began collecting samples of soil that may have been exposed to metal-laden “spent catalyst” released by the Martinez Refining Company (MRC) into the surrounding community last Thanksgiving. (See related articles here, here and here)
Soil samples are being taken from more than a dozen sites, primarily areas neighboring the refinery in Martinez and Benicia. Collected samples will be sent to a lab to analyze for concentrations of metals associated with the catalyst that may pose risks to human health through skin contact, inhalation or from consuming produce grown in the contaminated soil. Lab results of the soil samples are expected in late May or early June.
“We know the community is eager to find out what’s in the soil in their yards and whether they should be concerned for their health,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes the refinery, which is owned by PBF Energy Inc. “The soil testing will help provide residents with answers to those questions.”
The sampling plan was based in part on a plume model map created by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District that showed where the spent-catalyst dust likely traveled. The plan was reviewed and approved by the MRC Oversight Committee, which includes seven community residents, at its April 27 meeting.
The soil sampling and risk assessment are being done for the County by TRC, a Concord-based environmental consulting firm. The risk assessment will also compare levels of metals found in the sampled soil against background levels taken from published academic and regulatory sources.
On November 24-25, 2022, MRC accidentally released up to 24 tons of metal-laden spent catalyst dust into the surrounding community. MRC failed to notify the County about the incident, which the County learned about two days later from social media, as required by local policy. Initial wipe samples of the spent-catalyst dust taken from surfaces in neighborhoods around the refinery in the days after the accident showed elevated levels of certain metals, such as aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc.
The most acute health risk occurred at the time of the incident when people could have breathed in the dust and caused respiratory distress. Questions have persisted about possible long-term health impacts, particularly from food grown in potentially contaminated soil exposed to the spent catalyst.
In March, with spring and gardening season arriving, the County’s health officer issued an advisory cautioning residents not to eat food grown in potentially contaminated soil until environmental testing could be completed.
“Residents affected by this release deserve to know if there is any health risk. Contra Costa Health is working as quickly as possible to ensure that accurate information reaches the public about this issue,” said Board of Supervisors Chair John Gioia, who also serves on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board of Directors.
For more information on the risk assessment and independent investigation of the November 2022 incident, visit cchealth.org/hazmat/mrc.
Read More
Meet the candidates during in-person forums Monday, May 11
By Marisa Greenberg, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Contra Costa Community College District
The Contra Costa Community College District (District) announces the selection of four finalists for the position of President of Los Medanos College. The finalists are: Matthew Kritscher, Ed.D., Claire Oliveros, Ph.D., Pamela Ralston, Ph.D., and James E. Todd, Ph.D.
Four separate in-person forums have been scheduled for May 11, 2023, on the Los Medanos College Pittsburg campus. Employees, students, and community members are invited to attend the forums, which will last 60 minutes each, beginning at 11:30 a.m., and will be recorded. A detailed public forum schedule, recordings of each forum, and an online survey to provide feedback on the candidates will be available on the District website at www.4cd.edu.
Dr. Matthew Kritscher
Dr. Kritscher has dedicated his career to advancing student diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and social justice serving diverse communities in public higher education in California Community Colleges and Universities for over three decades. As an educational leader including eleven years as Dean and almost ten years as Vice President of Student Services at Chabot College, Dr. Kritscher is passionate about eliminating student equity gaps, and providing support for students who are farthest from opportunity. Dr. Kritscher holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University. He graduated from the first cohort of the university’s inaugural doctoral program. He also holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from California Polytechnic State University in education and recreation. Dr. Kritscher conducted applied research on “How peer mentors affect the persistence of community college students of color” as a participant researcher at his own institution to better understand the live experiences of the students he serves and how to best support them.
In the community, Dr. Kritscher served as a founding member on the Governing Board for the Mid-Alameda County Consortium of Adult Education Programs, and across the District as President Emeritus of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Administrators’ Association. He is also a President Emeritus of the statewide California Community Colleges Student Success and Support Program Professionals (Matriculation) Association that conducted legislative advocacy, professional development, and liaison services to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Dr. Kritscher has received numerous awards for his work with supporting student access, equity, social justice, and success in public higher education including a Chancellor’s Award, several Unity Awards, Chabot College Striving Black Brothers Coalition Award, and an Educator of Excellence Award from the African American Regional Education Alliance.
To enhance equitable transfer student pathways, Dr. Kritscher is a founding Co-Principal Investigator of the East Bay College Agile Network (EBCAN), a regional partnership between Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and California State University, East Bay. This regional collaborative leverages external and internal resources as well as policy and practice transformation to eliminate barriers to student transfer.
Dr. Kritscher has served as the Principal Investigator and Project Director on numerous federal, state, and private grants, strategically advancing integrated projects toward institutionalization in support of increasing diversity, access, equity, and success. Dr. Kritscher has also led numerous capital projects to better meet the needs of diverse student populations and facilitating student retention and success.
Dr. Kritscher and his wife, Susan Truong, grew up in the bay area, and have championed support for students farther from opportunity through partnership with non-profit organizations where they have mentored low-income, first generation foster youth to attend and complete college. They love gardening, outdoor activities and supporting their communities through volunteering.
Dr. Claire Oliveros
Dr. Oliveros is a social justice educator, scholar, and equity practitioner with over 28 years of professional experience in higher education. Claire is the inaugural Vice President of Institutional Equity & Research and Planning at Cosumnes River College (CRC), a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American, Native American-Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) located in Sacramento, CA. She oversees the division for college planning, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Antiracism (DEIA) strategic initiatives. Claire manages a multi-million-dollar budget which includes the departments of HSI and AANAPISI federally funded grant programs, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Planning, Center for Professional Development, Center for Inclusion & Belonging, Hawk Cares Center for Basic Needs and Housing Resources, Student Life, and Title IX/Equity Compliance. Prior to this role, Claire served as Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management at CRC.
Before relocating to California, Claire was the Assistant Provost for Student Success Initiatives at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA, and the Executive Dean of Student Development and Learning Resources at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR. Claire served in various leadership positions at Portland Community College including the Director of TRIO Student Support Services, Interim Director of the District Office of Equity, and Inclusion, founding Coordinator of the Multicultural Center, adjunct Women’s Studies Faculty, and as a part-time Academic Advisor.
Claire is a first-generation college graduate earning a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Western Oregon University, Master of Science in Educational Policy, Foundations and Administrative Studies at Portland State University, and a Doctorate in Education from Oregon State University. Claire has over 20 years of volunteer experience and community involvement. She was founding chair of the Portland Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and served as a board member of the Multnomah County Commission on Children, Families and Community. Her higher education service includes the AANAPISI Sacramento Regional Cooperative, Community College League of California, and American Association of Community Colleges.
Claire is a dedicated educational leader with a deep commitment to equity-mindedness and servant leadership. Claire enjoys spending time with her family, attending her son’s soccer games, listening to podcasts, and exploring new restaurants.
Dr. Pamela Ralston
Over the course of a two-decade career in public higher education, Pamela Ralston has been dedicated to the powerful transformation that community colleges provide students, faculty, and the communities we serve. She is committed to working with faculty, staff, and administrators to improve student success and student equity through the creation and support of strong, innovative programs and a rewarding working environment. Dr. Ralston has served as the Interim President at Los Medanos College, President at Santiago Canyon College, and Executive Vice President of Educational Programs at Santa Barbara City College, where she led the academic and student services programs.
Dr. Ralston also served as Vice President for Student Learning at College of the Desert, in Palm Desert, CA. Prior to that, she enjoyed eight years as Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. Before moving into administration, Dr. Ralston was faculty member and division chair of English and Written Communications at Tacoma Community College, where she taught composition, American Ethnic Literature and developmental studies in writing and reading. Before joining TCC, she served as lecturer at the University of Washington in American Ethnic Studies.
Pamela Ralston has her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Oregon and her Master of Arts and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington in Comparative Literature, where she taught as a graduate student in the Comparative Literature, English and American Ethnic Studies Departments. She has earned excellence in teaching awards from both Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington, and she was honored with a Fulbright fellowship for doctoral research at the Royal Library and University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, Pamela Ralston has worked to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, with special attention to the strengths that their cultural backgrounds and ethnic identities bring to their college experiences. Over the course of her career, Dr. Ralston has participated in and led numerous, successful change efforts, working to increase the access and achievement of first-generation students of color by working to make colleges ready for all students. She has led curricular redesign, student services program innovation, strategic enrollment, new facilities design, and fund-raising campaigns and grant applications. Deeply invested in the connections between Los Medanos College and the cities it serves, Dr. Ralston is committed to civic engagement. She seeks to deepen relationships and partnerships with school districts, non-profit organizations, civic organizations, and industry across East Contra Costa County.
Pamela lives with her wife, Chris, an attorney, in Pittsburg and Morro Bay, CA. They’re fond of walks along central coast beaches, reading, cooking and are active in their church and community organizations.
Dr. James Todd
Dr. Todd has over 15 years of experience in instruction and student services in California community colleges. He has held a variety of positions, including Professor, Academic Senate President, Accreditation Liaison Officer, Chief Student Services Officer, and Chief Instructional Officer. He has also served as an elected faculty representative on the statewide Executive Committee for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, and he maintains a strong commitment to participatory governance and an inclusive style of educational leadership. James is currently the Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Student Services at Sierra College. He was previously the Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction and Planning at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton and the Vice President of Student Services at Modesto Junior College.
James is a transformational leader who grounds his philosophy and practice in principles of equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. He is passionate about fostering access and opportunity for underserved populations, meeting the needs of local communities, facilitating student success and completion, building public and private partnerships, and ensuring equitable post-graduation outcomes for students. He has participated in national reform movements, such as Achieving the Dream, to improve student equity and institutional outcomes, and he has been involved in leading efforts on local campuses to enact Guided Pathways and student-centered strategies for student success.
James graduated with an Associate of Arts degree from Brevard Community College in Florida and went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and International Relations from New College of Florida, a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology at The George Washington University, and Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Cultural Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
James has recently completed the Aspen Institute College Excellence Presidential Fellowship Program, the Harvard University Institute for Educational Management, and the California Education Policy Fellowship Program at the Education Insights Center (CSU Sacramento).
About 4CD
The Contra Costa Community College District (4CD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The 4CD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. 4CD is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez. For more information visit www.4cd.edu.
Read More