First Lady hosts fundraiser in Atherton
First Lady Jill Biden visited Atherton on Wednesday, Nov. 15, for a presidential re-election campaign luncheon while her husband, President Joe Biden, was at the Filoli Estate in Woodside to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.
The event in Atherton for the “Biden Victory Fund” was organized by Doug and Lisa Goldman, former state Comptroller Steve Westly and philanthropist Anita Yu Westly. The Westlys hosted an event for President Biden in June. The Goldmans run the nonprofit Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, which supports organizations that promote democracy and civil liberties, education, literacy and the environment.
Ticket prices ranged from $250 to premium “host” tickets, to $10,000, which included a photo with the first lady.
Peninsula Clean Energy hires new COO and CFO
Peninsula Clean Energy, a community choice energy program established by San Mateo County in February 2016, has hired a new chief operating officer (COO) and new chief financial officer (CFO), according to a Nov. 14 press release .
PCE’s new chief operating officer is Shalini Swaroop, former legal and policy director of MCE Clean Energy. Nick Bijur is the new CFO.
Bijur previously worked at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), where he was vice president of finance and treasurer.
As COO, Swaroop will help lead internal efforts to deliver on Peninsula Clean Energy’s strategic plan and oversee the agency’s regulatory and legislative affairs, energy programs, and marketing and community outreach departments. She will also provide executive leadership for the agency’s recently adopted diversity, equity, access and inclusion plan.
Bijur will manage PCE’s annual operating budget and investment portfolio of more than $350 million, establish a new enterprise risk management function, and help the agency balance decarbonization goals with the mandate of affordable clean energy at competitive rates, according to the press release. This means continuing to implement electricity generation rates that are at least 5% lower than the generation rates charged by PG&E.
PCE’s most recent CFO was Kristina Alagar Cordero, who served in the role from August 2022 to April 2023, according to a report. PCE press release And Alagar Cordero LinkedIn Page.
Shawn Marshall previously served as COO of PCE before step into CEO role in July.
MA Bears return home for NCAA women’s soccer game
Menlo-Atherton High School alumni Lexi Quinn and Evie Calhoon came to Stanford University for the second round of the NCAA women’s soccer competition, 3:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 17, at Cagan Stadium.
The women play for the Brown University Bears and will face Mississippi State University.
Calhoon, a senior at Brown, is one of the Bears’ captains. Quinn, a junior at Brown, started playing football at Menlo Park AYSO.
Brown went 7-0 in the Ivy League this season and Brown’s fourth Ivy League title in four years, according to a press release.
Both were hoping to defeat Mississippi State and face Stanford University on Sunday, November 19.
