Get to know some of the ULI San Francisco members who work hard behind the scenes to develop the events and initiatives for which our District Council is known. These industry leaders come from a variety of real estate land use sectors and lend their expertise and time to drive the work of our committees. We’ve asked these committee co-chairs to answer questions about their involvement with ULI San Francisco.

Xiomara Cisneros, Housing the Bay Co-Chair
Senior Program Officer, Housing Affordability
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Q. How did you first get involved with ULI and your committees?
ULI was my first job out of college! I had the honor of working for Kate White, who I still consider a dear friend and mentor. Working at ULI has been a springboard for my career. It’s been great to stay involved and give back to the organization as a volunteer.

Q. What’s a memorable connection you’ve made through ULI?
I was starting to get more involved with ULI when Michelle Malanca, former ED, asked to meet with me. That’s when she pitched Housing the Bay and that I should consider participating in the steering committee. She didn’t have to ask me twice! I was excited to see ULI SF elevate housing as a critical issue. Especially because the Bay Area is ground zero for the housing crisis, and our members play a critical role in meeting the region’s housing shortage. It’s easy to give into fatalism when things look bleak, so it’s important to have convenings where we can be inspired by different solutions, and remind ourselves how far we’ve come.

Q. What keeps you engaged with ULI SF and what are you most excited about in the near future?
Everyone is so nice! It can be intimidating being in a room with so many smart people, but ULI is all about connections. A lot of folks value curiosity, so it’s a great place to ask questions and to learn.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Another successful Housing the Bay event!

Q. What’s your leadership philosophy/style?
Growing up, whenever I found myself in a challenging situation, my dad would say “there’s no problems, there’s only solutions.” While I don’t exactly agree with that, it’s been helpful to remember his advice in various ways. To have an asset frame of mind instead of resorting to deficit thinking. To be resourceful by leveraging my team, my network, and creative collaboration. To overall be solutions oriented.

Q. Outside of work and ULI, what do you enjoy doing?
Spending time with my husband and our pup. We like to go on hikes around the Bay Area. It’s a nice way to explore our trails and open space, get in some exercise, and wear out our dog. I also enjoy dancing. My husband and I met in a dance fitness class, and we still try to go to dance classes together.

Thank you, Xiomara, for your leadership within our Housing the Bay initiative and our district council overall!