Quick Take
Kristen Brown, former Capitola mayor and a woman with extensive experience working with a variety of business organizations, takes over this week as the executive director of the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce.
Former Capitola mayor Kristen Brown will start her new role as the executive director of the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce this week.
Brown comes to the chamber after almost six years with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a business advocacy organization founded in 1977 by Hewlett-Packard co-founder David Packard. In her most recent role there as vice president of government relations, she worked closely with member companies, helped advocate for state and federal funding and was involved with key policy initiatives.
Brown’s term as mayor of Capitola ended in December following eight years on the city council. She ran for the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors last year but was defeated by Kim De Serpa. Brown has also served as chair of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, president of the board for the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments and as public sector representative for Capitola and board treasurer of the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, among other civic roles.
Brown said Tuesday that she’s excited about a new opportunity to serve her community and use her professional expertise.
“My background in advocacy seemed like a seamless fit for the chamber,” Brown said. “One of my first priorities is connecting with all of the board members and really interacting with the community.”
Brown starts her new job Wednesday with a chamber leadership trip to San Luis Obispo to meet with public officials and business leaders to discuss their challenges and successes. Her first official day in the office will be Monday.
Brown replaces Casey Beyer, who stepped down from executive director position at the chamber back in November after more than seven years at the helm. Beyer joined the chamber in April 2017 from the Santa Cruz County Business Council, where he’d served as executive director for two years. Prior to that, Beyer had also worked for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group as senior adviser to the president and CEO. Beyer has not said why he resigned and has not responded to inquiries from Lookout about his next plans.
Dan Smart, co-chair of the chamber’s board of directors, told Lookout in December that a key goal in their search for a new executive director was finding someone local who understands the unique challenges and strengths of the region.
“[Brown’s] experience and vision will be instrumental in driving the chamber’s initiatives forward, ensuring that we continue to serve and support our members effectively,” Smart said in a statement Tuesday. “Kristen’s dedication to local businesses and passion for strategic collaboration align seamlessly with the chamber’s mission to support and advocate for the Santa Cruz business community.”
Rarlier this month, leaders announced the organization was changing its name from the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce to its original name, the Santa Cruz Area Chamber. Chamber leaders said the name better reflects the community it serves, while also recognizing the other chambers operating in the county, including the Aptos Chamber of Commerce, the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Capitola Soquel Chamber of Commerce.
Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.