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
![family-affordable-housing-affordable-housing-word-cloud-family-three-figures-126357561](https://catalystsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/family-affordable-housing-affordable-housing-word-cloud-family-three-figures-126357561-e1619488507189.jpg)
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
![](https://catalystsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Susan-Kirsch-500-shadow-300x300.png)
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
![](https://catalystsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Ray-Lorber-cropped.jpg)
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
![](https://catalystsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Maurice_Green.png)
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.