SF Environment Salutes David Assmann and Ann Kelly

This month, we are bidding farewell to two long-time members of our staff: David Assmann and Ann Kelly. David, our Deputy Director, and Ann, our Energy Efficiency Program Manager, are retiring and have been with our department for 14 and almost 13 years, respectively.

David is known around the office for his love for birding, brightly colored ties, and humble demeanor. As the former publisher of Mother Jones Magazine and Recycling Program Manager of the San Francisco Solid Waste Management Program, David has been advocating for a more sustainable world well before the San Francisco Department of the Environment was created in 1996. During his 14 years at the department, he has helped shepherd San Francisco through many milestones, from adopting  a zero waste goal, to the closing of the Hunters Point and Potrero power plants, to growing the department from a staff of eight to a staff of 120 (just to name a few).  David will be greatly missed, but he has left us in a strong position to continue our work protecting our local environment. We wish him well as he begins this new chapter in life, which we know will be full of nature outings, rare bird sightings, and spending quality time with his wife.

In her nearly 13 years at the San Francisco Department of the Environment, Ann has been a major player in California’s energy efficiency movement. At the department, she guided the evolution of San Francisco’s energy efficiency programs, which included managing one of the largest municipally-operated private sector programs in the country. Ann successfully pioneered the development of a local government partnership with PG&E, a model which has been replicated to over 40 local governments in the state. Ann’s staff know her as a thoughtful and strategic leader, who helps her team thrive through trust and empowerment. We wish her a retirement full of traveling, hiking, and enjoying long-time friends.