Dear ULI SF Community,

It is with sadness and appreciation that I announce that after over five years as the Executive Director of ULI San Francisco, Michelle Malanca Frey will be stepping down from her role as she has made the decision to focus her career on climate change. Michelle has been a fantastic leader of our organization and we are grateful for the impact she has made. Under her inspiring leadership, we launched Housing the Bay, the NEXT offerings for mid-career professionals, our DEI initiatives, and much more. We will miss her and her vision for and commitment to ULI’s mission, and we applaud her for following her passion and for always working to make the world a better place.

At the same time, I am extremely happy to announce that Natalie Sandoval has agreed to accept the role of Executive Director starting January 4, 2022. Natalie has been with ULI San Francisco for nearly six years, most recently as Senior Director, and has been an invaluable asset to the organization. She has led all or our public sector engagements, was instrumental in launching and directing Housing the Bay, and has touched nearly every initiative and committee during her tenure. Prior to ULI, Natalie was with HR&A Advisors in New York and SWA Group in Los Angeles. Her skills, intelligence, compassion, in-depth knowledge of ULI, and the respect she has in this industry make her a perfect fit for this role.

A note from Michelle: “It’s been my great pleasure and honor to be the Executive Director of ULI San Francisco. While it’s never easy to step away, my heart is telling me that now is the time to make this move. I will miss getting to work so closely with our passionate and dedicated members on a daily basis, but I am confident Natalie will be an outstanding leader for ULI SF and that I am leaving you in very capable hands.”

ULI San Francisco has embarked on the process of creating a new strategic plan and we are excited to start this new chapter with our new Executive Director at the helm. We invite you to please lookout for a brief survey in your inbox this week to share your thoughts and inform this process as we chart the course ahead. In the meantime, I hope you will join me in welcoming Natalie to her new role and wishing Michelle the best of luck in her new endeavors.

Best Regards,

Eric Tao
Chair, ULI San Francisco
Managing Director, L37 Partners