Alex Tourk
Encyclopedia
Alex Tourk is a political consultant from San Francisco, California
. He has worked as an aide to California Assembly member Lou Papan
and San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown
and Gavin Newsom
and served as campaign manager for Jackie Speier
's bid for California's 12th Congressional District. His career highlights include the implementation and formation of Project Homeless Connect, a national model that addresses homelessness in San Francisco, Director of Governmental Affairs for the San Francisco 49ers
, and Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services under Mayor Willie Brown. Tourk graduated from Beverly Hills High School
in 1989 and received a BA in History from Boston University
in 1993.
's bid for California's 12th Congressional District Tourk served as an aide to San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, "I am proud to have hired Alex into city government when he joined Mayor Brown's government in neighborhood services," said Supervisor Bevan Dufty, who called Tourk "an exceptional human being." District Chief of Staff to Democratic Assemblyman Lou Papan from San Mateo, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Gavin Newsom. He was Director of Governmental Affairs for the San Francisco 49ers
and assisted First Lady of California Maria Shriver
in implementing a state wide model of the Project Connect concept for working families.
Tourk was campaign manager to re-elect Dennis Herrera
as San Francisco City Attorney. He and his firm, Ground Floor Public Relations, resigned as director of field operations to Herrera's campaign for San Francisco's 2011 mayoral election, over concerns of ethics violations.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. He has worked as an aide to California Assembly member Lou Papan
Lou Papan
Louis John Papan was a Democratic California politician. He was known as the "Dean of the Assembly" for his 20 years in the California State Assembly.-Early life:...
and San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown
Willie Brown (politician)
Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served over 30 years in the California State Assembly, spending 15 years as its Speaker, and afterward served as the 41st mayor of San Francisco, the first African American to do so...
and Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
and served as campaign manager for Jackie Speier
Jackie Speier
Karen Lorraine Jacqueline "Jackie" Speier is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and the southwest quarter of San Francisco.She is also a former member of the California State...
's bid for California's 12th Congressional District. His career highlights include the implementation and formation of Project Homeless Connect, a national model that addresses homelessness in San Francisco, Director of Governmental Affairs for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, and Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services under Mayor Willie Brown. Tourk graduated from Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. Beverly is part of the Beverly Hills Unified School District and located on on the west side of Beverly Hills, at the...
in 1989 and received a BA in History from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in 1993.
Political career
Tourk served as campaign manager for Jackie SpeierJackie Speier
Karen Lorraine Jacqueline "Jackie" Speier is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and the southwest quarter of San Francisco.She is also a former member of the California State...
's bid for California's 12th Congressional District Tourk served as an aide to San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, "I am proud to have hired Alex into city government when he joined Mayor Brown's government in neighborhood services," said Supervisor Bevan Dufty, who called Tourk "an exceptional human being." District Chief of Staff to Democratic Assemblyman Lou Papan from San Mateo, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Gavin Newsom. He was Director of Governmental Affairs for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and assisted First Lady of California Maria Shriver
Maria Shriver
Maria Owings Shriver is an American journalist and author of six best-selling books. She has received a Peabody Award, and was co-anchor for NBC's Emmy-winning coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics. As executive producer of The Alzheimer's Project, Shriver earned two Emmy Awards and an Academy of...
in implementing a state wide model of the Project Connect concept for working families.
Tourk was campaign manager to re-elect Dennis Herrera
Dennis Herrera
Dennis Herrera is City Attorney of San Francisco, best known for his court action in favor of gay marriage, including against Proposition 8. He was re-elected as City Attorney in 2009 with 96 percent of the vote...
as San Francisco City Attorney. He and his firm, Ground Floor Public Relations, resigned as director of field operations to Herrera's campaign for San Francisco's 2011 mayoral election, over concerns of ethics violations.
Accomplishments
- Tourk was also responsible for implementing efforts to encourage businesses and citizens to work with government agencies to solve problems together.
- Tourk was responsible for implementing the homeless program "Project Homeless Connect" in San Francisco that has been replicated in 200 other cities.
- Tourk was selected as one of the Top 20 Under 40 in 7x7 Magazine in 2006.
Civic recognition
- Alex Tourk was present at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium to mark the city's 15th Project Homeless Connect, an acclaimed program he helped the Newsom Administration launch in 2004. The program invites homeless people to a one stop location where they can access services, including health screenings and housing assistance. Hundreds of volunteers who gathered in the balcony of the auditorium for a morning rally to kick off the event gave Tourk, who turned 36 on Wednesday, a standing ovationStanding ovationA standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim...
and marked the occasion by singing "Happy Birthday" as he was introduced by an emcee. A steady stream of people walked up to extend warm wishes to Tourk and shake his hand, including one of Newsom's police bodyguards who hugged Tourk. Alex Tourk has signed a contract to continue working with San Francisco's Project Connect.
Private Sector
- Started his own lobbying and public affairs firm Ground Floor Public Affairs in 2007.
See also
- ConsultantConsultantA consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
- Political CampaignPolitical campaignA political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...