About Us
Making the World a Better Place For All of Us
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Our Story
COMMUNITY CATALYSTS is a statewide grassroots network of community leaders, both volunteer and elected, dedicated to promoting affordable housing while preserving single-family zoning, the environment, and reliable infrastructure.
Our Mission
Educate about state, regional, and local housing legislation and legislative processes
Engage the diverse communities of people who are impacted by top-down, one-size-fits-all housing legislation
- Individual organizers and community group leaders
- People of diverse age, ethnicity, and economic perspectives who advocate for equity and social justice
- Neighborhood and homeowner associations, renter/landlord groups, civic and environmental groups
- Current and former elected officials
- Residents of large and small cities
- All party affiliations: Democrat, Republican, Independent, Green, others
Empower with knowledge, skills, and tools to engage in government processes
- Provide data and resources
- Share “How-To” instructions
- Network and build relationships
- Use all means to educate: social media, on-line meetings and webinars
- Collaborate on shared efforts and generously share results
Our Team
Susan Kirsch
2021 Founder, President, Community Catalysts
2020 Chair, Statewide Nix-the-Nine Campaign (7 bills nixed)
2018-2019 Livable California, Founder and first Board President
- Launched 9-County Bay Area network to strengthen collaborative effort
- Initiated Brown Act lawsuit against the Association of Bay Area Governments and won a major procedural victory (Jan. 2021)
2016 Retired from a career as a nonprofit fundraiser
Prior
- Chair, Marin Coalition; Freeman Park Neighborhood Association
- Co-founder, Citizen Marin; Friends of Mill Valley
- Member, Marin Democratic Central Committee; Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative
* Contributor to CalMatters, The Marin Independent Journal, The Marin Post, and a monthly guest on Sonoma Radio, KSVY
Ray Lorber
2020-2021 Catalysts Campaign Manager
2013-2016 Treasurer Citizen Marin
2016 Campaign Captain for Susan Kirsch’s campaign for Marin County Supervisor
2010-2018 Treasurer of North San Rafael Coalition of Residents
2009-2011 President of Mont Marin/San Rafael Park Neighborhood Association
2012 Published George Washington’s Providence
2002 Retired from a career in technology
* Frequent contributor to the Marin Independent Journal
Maurice Green, PhD
2021 Webmaster, Community Catalysts
2016-2021 Webmaster for Palo Alto Councilmember Lydia Kou.
2015-2021 President, Zayda Productions, a web design and videography agency.
2013-2021 Co-founder and webmaster, Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning (PASZ).
2002-2017 Network manager and laboratory consultant, Stanford School of Medicine
2002 Retired from 30-yr career as a medical laboratory director at National Institutes of Health, Soroka Medical Center (Israel) and Stanford Hospital.