Sean Elsbernd

Early life

Elsbernd received his BA from Claremont McKenna College in 1997 and graduated from University of California Hastings College of the Law in 2000. He was subsequently admitted to the State Bar of California on December 4, 2000.

Career

Early career

Prior to his work in City Hall, Elsbernd worked as a law clerk with Nielsen, Merksamer, Parinello, Mueller, & Naylor and with the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. He also worked in the office of Congressman Tom Lantos as a co-director of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1995.

San Francisco Supervisor

Elsbernd was elected to the Board of Supervisors in November 2004, following his August 2004 appointment to the Board by Mayor Gavin Newsom.

In his final meeting on the board, his colleagues showered him with praise. Though referred to as a "curmudgeon" and to the right of most of his peers, "Elsbernd was renowned for his mastery of parliamentary procedure."

Mayoral chief of staff

San Francisco Mayor, London Breed, appointed Elsbernd as her chief of staff. He began his new role in the San Francisco's mayor's office in November 2018.

In his role, Elsbered was involved in question whether Breed's decision to have appointees to commission submit unsigned and undated letters of resignation as an apparent condition to their appointment was appropriate. In a hearing in October 2022, Elsbernd was questioned by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors over his knowledge of the mayor's process for determining which appointees were required to submit such letters, and who was not.

SPUR

In 2025, Elsbernd became CEO of the civic think-tank SPUR.

Personal life

He married Jennifer Johnston on November 11, 2005.

References

References

1. [https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Supe-seeks-to-halt-Muni-operators-3-000-bonus-3204703.php "Supe seeks to halt Muni operators' $3,000 bonus" - SFGate]
2. [http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/2008/09/inside-the-tony-hall-ethics-investigation-who%E2%80%99s-really-behindthe-ethics-commission-investigation/ "Inside the Tony Hall Ethics Investigation" - Fog City Journal]
3. [https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/SAN-FRANCISCO-Newsom-s-pick-for-supervisor-is-2703527.php "Newsom's pick for supervisor is District 7 native / Elsbernd worked behind scenes as aide to Hall, mayor" - SFGate]
4. (31 December 2012). "S.F. Board bids adieu to Sean Elsbernd".
5. Fracassa, Dominic. (2018-06-26). "SF Mayor-elect Breed names former Supervisor Sean Elsbernd chief of staff".
6. (24 September 2022). "What's Really Behind the Mayor's Spat with Her Appointee? Influence over SFPD's Future Leadership".
7. (11 October 2022). "Supervisors grill Mayor Breed's chief of staff for answers on undated resignation letters".
8. Dineen, J.K.. (2025-06-11). "London Breed’s former chief of staff to lead urban think tank SPUR". San Francisco Chronicle.