Alameda Economic Forecast

The Alameda Economic Forecast is a unique opportunity to gain cutting-edge knowledge on the economic landscape of Alameda and the Bay Area, explore the latest trends in biomedical and healthcare industries, and network with industry leaders.

Don’t miss out on this engaging event that promises to provide valuable insights for businesses, investors, and policymakers alike.
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Our speakers will be:
Keynote: Dr. Chris Thornberg (founding partner at Beacon Economics)
Attorney General Rob Bonta: “Business Security in California”
Economic Panel brought to you by the Azzur Group: “The Future Is Now: How the Alameda Economy Is Changing:” insights from biomedical, energy, and transportation experts featuring Adam Elsesser (Penumbra), Jeffrey J. Hessekiel, J.D. (Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Exelixis), Mike Laufer (CEO, Kairos Power, Inc.), Warren DeSouza (CFO, Sila Nanotechnologies, Inc.), and Philip Lee (CEO of GeneFab) and moderated by Stephen Baiter, Executive Director of the East Bay EDA.

Speaker Bios & Panelists:
Christopher Thornberg Ph.D. founded Beacon Economics LLC in 2006. Under his leadership, the firm has become one of the most respected research organizations in California serving public and private sector clients across the United States. Dr. Thornberg also served as Director of the UC Riverside School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development and was an Adjunct Professor at the School from 2015-2023.

An expert in economic and revenue forecasting, regional economics, economic policy, and labor and real estate markets, Dr. Thornberg has consulted for private industry, cities, counties, and public agencies in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Bay Area, San Diego, the Inland Empire, New York, Seattle, Orange County, Sacramento, Arizona, Nevada, and other geographies across the nation. He has also worked on Wall Street, advising hedge fund manager Paulson & Co. about macroeconomic issues.

Recent notable projects include housing and rent control studies for the California Apartment Association; research supporting the strategic allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds for the County of San Joaquin; an analysis and forecast of the socioeconomic factors that affect traffic growth and demand along a major interstate in Southern California; research on affordable housing in Los Angeles for a major law firm; quarterly regional economic outlooks for the East Bay Economic Development Alliance; a recession recovery plan for the City and County of San Francisco; an annual economic assessment of LA’s city council districts for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; an economic and revenue forecast for the City of San Luis Obispo; an analysis of the local technology industry for the Santa Cruz County Workforce Development Board; and an economic impact study for the 2024 Los Angeles Olympic Games Committee.

Dr. Thornberg became nationally known for forecasting the subprime mortgage market crash that began in 2007 and was one of the few economists on record to predict the global economic recession that followed.

Well known for his ability to capture and hold audiences, Dr. Thornberg has presented to hundreds of leading business, government, and nonprofit organizations across the globe including Chevron, The New Yorker, Colliers International, Western Alliance Bank, the California Chamber of Commerce, City National Bank, the National Confectioner’s Association, the California State Association of Counties, State Farm Insurance, the City of Los Angeles, the California and Nevada Credit Union League, and the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, among many others. He has testified before the U.S. Congress House Committee on Financial Services on municipal debt issues, before the California State Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation regarding rule changes related to Proposition 13, and before the Los Angeles City Council about proposed changes to local minimum wage laws.

Dr. Thornberg is a contributor to consensus economic forecasts published by the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, the National Association of Business Economists, and the Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, is an Executive Member of the Central City Association (Los Angeles), and is a member of the California Association for Local Economic Development.

Prior to launching Beacon Economics, Dr. Thornberg was a senior economist with UCLA’s Anderson Forecast. He previously taught in the MBA program at UCLA’s Anderson School, in the Rady School of Business at UC San Diego, and at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. He has also held a faculty position in the economics department at Clemson University.

A well-known media commentator, Dr. Thornberg has appeared on all the major networks, CNN, NPR, and is regularly quoted in major national dailies including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Los Angeles Times.

Attorney General Rob Bonta’s passion for justice and fairness was instilled in him by his parents, who served on the frontlines of some of America’s most important social justice movements. Instilling in him the lessons they learned from the United Farm Workers and the civil rights movement, Attorney General Bonta’s parents lit a fire inside him to fight against injustice, to stand up for those who are taken advantage of or harmed. It’s why he decided to become a lawyer to help right historic wrongs and fight for people who have been harmed. He worked his way through college and graduated with honors from Yale University and attended Yale Law School.

In the State Assembly, Attorney General Bonta enacted nation-leading reforms to inject more justice and fairness into government and institutions. As the People’s Attorney, he sees seeking accountability from those who abuse their power and harm others as one of the most important functions of the job. In elected office, he has taken on powerful interests and advanced systemic change, pursuing corporate accountability, standing up for workers, punishing big polluters, and fighting racial injustice. He has been a national leader in the fight to transform the criminal justice system, banning private prisons and detention facilities in California, as well as pushing to eliminate cash bail in the state. He has led statewide fights for racial, economic, and environmental justice and worked to further the rights of immigrant families, renters, and working Californians.

Prior to serving in the Assembly, Attorney General Bonta worked as a Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, where he represented the City and County and its employees, and fought to protect Californians from exploitation and racial profiling.

Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Attorney General Bonta immigrated to California with his family as an infant. He is the son of a proud native Filipino mother and a father who taught him the value of public service to his community. He is married to Mia Bonta, and they are the proud parents of three children Reina, Iliana, and Andres, as well as their dog Legolas.

Adam Elsesser co-founded Penumbra and has served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of its Board of Directors since its inception in 2004, and as President and Chairman of its Board of Directors since January 2015. Prior to Penumbra, Adam led SMART Therapeutics, Inc., a medical device company focused on devices for neuro-intervention, as its Chief Executive Officer from 2000 to 2002 and, after its acquisition by Boston Scientific Corporation, President of SMART Therapeutics within Boston Scientific Corporation from 2002 to 2005. Before his work in the medical device industry, Adam was a partner in the law firm of Shartsis Friese LLP. He received a BA from Stanford University and a JD from Hastings College of the Law.

Jeffrey J. Hessekiel, J.D., has served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel since February 2014 and as its Secretary from October 2014 to September 2017. From 2012 to 2014, he held the position of Senior Counsel at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, where he advised emerging growth and public companies, primarily in the life sciences sector, on complex legal issues connected with strategic transactions, healthcare compliance programs and investigations, and regulatory matters. Prior to working with Arnold & Porter, from 2002 to 2012, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Gilead Sciences, Inc., most recently as Chief Compliance & Quality Officer where he was responsible for the creation and management of Gilead’s Corporate Compliance & Quality department. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Hessekiel held the position of Associate, working on both litigation and corporate matters for Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati PC. Mr. Hessekiel also worked as an Associate focusing on litigation matters for Heller Ehrman LLP from 1996 to 1998. Prior to joining Heller Ehrman LLP, Mr. Hessekiel also worked for several international non-governmental organizations. Mr. Hessekiel received his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and is admitted to practice in California. Mr. Hessekiel received a B.A. in Political Science from Duke University.

Warren L. DeSouza is the Chief Financial Officer at Sila. Prior to Sila, Warren served as the Chief Financial Officer of Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc (NASDAQ:AIMT) and was responsible for Aimmune’s initial public offering. Prior to Aimmune, Warren served as Vice President of Finance for Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ONXX). In this role, Warren was responsible for all accounting, SEC reporting, purchasing, tax and treasury functions of the company prior to its $10 billion acquisition by Amgen. Prior to that for 15 years, Warren was employed as a senior manager at the accounting firms of Deloitte & Touche, LLP and Arthur Andersen LLP, respectively.
Warren received a BBA from the University of Notre Dame and is a certified public accountant (inactive).

Dr. Mike Laufer is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kairos Power. In this role, Dr. Laufer is responsible for all business and technical operations within the company as well as government affairs for Kairos Power’s design, development, and commercialization of the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR). Prior to co-founding Kairos Power, Dr. Laufer was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Berkeley where his research included work in reactor safety, design, licensing, and code validation for advanced non-light-water reactors. His technical expertise includes experimental and discrete-element simulation methods for granular flows relevant to pebble-bed nuclear reactors. Dr. Laufer graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Honors in International Security Studies. He received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Philip Lee is a biotechnology entrepreneur and executive and has spent the last 17 years building companies and commercializing products including cell and gene therapies, synthetic biology platforms, scientific instrumentation, cell culture systems, and clinical manufacturing. He is currently the founding CEO of GeneFab, a contract research, development, and manufacturing organization focused on supporting its clients to bring innovative genetic medicines to patients in need. Prior to GeneFab, Philip was the Co-Founder and CTO of Senti Biosciences, a cell and gene therapy company applying gene circuit technology to improve the efficacy and safety of cancer cell therapies. Philip was also the Co-Founder and CEO of CellASIC Corp, which was acquired by Merck-Millipore (now MilliporeSigma). He received undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PhD in Bioengineering from the UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Graduate Program.