During his first term, Trustee Rizzo has authored or coauthored several dozen measures approved by the Board. As a Trustee with an engineering background, John has been active in modernizing the District’s technology systems. He pushed for the installation of technology-enabled “smart classrooms,” has championed providing every student with a District email address, and lead Board efforts to transition to a new District web site.

John has pushed for more effective management of the District’s capital and operational budget and has authored a number of policy reforms that have provided more oversight and control of budgets, as well as transparency of District operations. Before he was elected, Trustee Rizzo served on City College’s Bond Oversight Committee, working for fiscal responsibility and effective spending of public bond funds. It was there that he first called for the District's first performance audit, which the Board authorized after he was elected. 

Trustee Rizzo is a leader of several environmental initiatives, including a District-wide Sustainability Plan that sets green standards District operations and building projects, including one of San Francisco’s first LEED Gold-certified green buildings. He also lead an effort to create new green-jobs training programs for disadvantage communities and at-risk youth. He has also worked to bring new funding for these programs.

John authored an initiative aimed at increasing the number of San Francisco residents hired for City College construction projects.

In 2008, John won a commendation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for his work in environmental advocacy in keeping fossil fuel power plants out of low-income neighborhoods and for promoting clean energy technologies. John is former chair of the Sierra Club’s Bay Area chapter. He is currently on the Chapter’s Executive Board, and is the Political Chair.

For over ten years, John was a commissioner on the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority, voter-created commission that made improvements to the Museum Concourse area of Golden Gate Park. The Authority’s main project was a $50 million capital project. John worked to add improvements to public safety, the lowering of speed limits, and the creation of crosswalks and bicycle lanes.

Professionally, John Rizzo is a technology writer and author. Since 1997, he has published a technology news and information website. His most recent book was published in November 2009. He has also taught adult education and has written educational materials.

John Rizzo has lived in San Francisco for 25 years with his wife and has a child in the San Francisco public school system. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Rutgers University.

Trustee Rizzo welcomes feedback, comments and suggestions at jrizzo@ccsf.edu.