Deborah Acosta

Chief Innovation Officer
City of San Leandro

As the City of San Leandro’s first Chief Innovation Officer, Ms. Acosta’s task is twofold: (1) develop the Lit San Leandro fiber optic network as a unique infrastructure tool to attract, expand and retain innovative tech businesses and businesses in need of fast connectivity; and (2) to cultivate a healthy tech and innovation ecosystem designed to attract tech companies and their employees. Ms. Acosta has a successful track record of developing economic development initiatives through building public/private collaborations. These partnerships emphasize sharing, connected and sustainable economic collaborations and open access to information and data. In her first year with the City, success stories related to these partnerships include the connection of 3 million building square feet to Lit San Leandro and almost 100 businesses; and a 700,000 s.f. former Chrysler Dodge auto plant connected to the fiber is being transformed into a Center for Next Generation Manufacturing Technologies, primarily 3D printing technologies.
Ms. Acosta is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, with 12 years as banking professional in San Francisco, 12 years as a City of Oakland Economic Development professional focused in International Trade and the Innovative Technology sectors, and 1.5 years as an entrepreneur and business development consultant. She became the East Bay and San Leandro’s first Chief Innovation Officer in February 2013, where she now lives with her husband, Gary Branchaud.