Meet the District 1 Staff

Jim Cogan, Chief of Staff
Jim.Cogan@sanjoseca.gov

A New Hampshire native and graduate of Wheaton College, Jim began working with District 1 in January 2003 as the Chief of Staff for past District 1 Councilmember Linda J. LeZotte after working for Councilmember Pat Dando for 2 ½ years in Council District 10.  He is now continuing as Chief of Staff for Councilmember Pete Constant and helping the District 1 Representative carry out his goals.  Jim has a great deal of experience working with the development and business communities.  In his spare time he serves on the executive board of the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers

• Policy Areas: Budget, Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)/ Parks CIP, Council Agenda, Economic Development, Housing, Labor, Land Use, Media Relations, Public Safety, Sunshine Ordinance, Transportation/Airport
• Responsibilities:  Agenda, Media Relations, Budget, Office Support, Personnel, Political Strategy, Public Records Requests
• Committee and Commission Responsibilities:  Community and Economic Development Council Committee, Public Safety, Finance and Strategic Support Council Committee, Rules and Open Government Council Committee, Transportation and Environment Council Committee, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Federated Employees Retirement Board, Investment Committee, San José Sports Authority, Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation (LAFCO)

 

Wendy Sullivan, Communications & Outreach
Wendy.Sullivan@sanjoseca.gov

Wendy has been with the District 1 office since August 2007 and is responsible for the office’s communications and outreach efforts.  She previously worked for IBM handling internal communications and event planning for their Storage Systems Division (formerly headquartered in south San Jose), and then went on to public relations for their hard disk drives unit.  Wendy graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Communication Studies.  She, and her husband, Mike, have three children.  Wendy has also worked as a figure skating coach for the past 13 years and currently teaches at Sharks Ice at San José located downtown.

• Responsibilities: Newsletter, Invitations/Scheduling, Correspondence, E-Mail Management, Grants

 

Mary Anne Groen, Council Aide
Maryanne.Groen@sanjoseca.gov

Mary Anne’s road to the District 1 Council office has been long and varied. As a nursing student at San José State University, Mary Anne worked in local hospitals culminating in a position on the Trauma Team in the Emergency Room at Stanford University Hospital. After raising three young children, Mary Anne shifted gears working as a zookeeper at San José’s Happy Hollow Park and Zoo at the same time developing a freelance writing career as a Society Columnist for South Valley Newspapers and a Feature Writer for Sea Magazine.

• Responsibilities: Blackford NAC, District 1 Leadership Group, Community Relations, Constituent Services, Neighborhood Association Development, Newsletter Calendar, Festival in the Park, Disability Awareness Day, Internet/Web/Networking, Video Projects
• Committee and Commission Responsibilities: Strategic Plan-Office of Therapeutic Services, Traffic Calming, VTA, Transportation/Airport
• Neighborhoods: Blackford NAC, Cabernet Vineyards, Colonial Gardens, San Tomas West, Baker West, Hathaway Park, Primrose, Boynton West, Strawberry Park, Lideres Latinos de Blackford, Country Lane.

 

Meghan Revolinsky, Council Aide
Meghan.Revolinsky@sanjoseca.gov

Meghan is a recent graduate of Chico State and started in the District 1 Office in October 2007. Meghan works with the Winchester neighborhoods and the communities west of Lawrence Expressway.

• Responsibilities: Calabazas BMX, E-Mail Blasts, Neighborhood Clean-Ups, Parks Management, Scheduling/Travel, Senior Walk, Senior Issues, Office Support.
• Committee and Commission Responsibilities: Neighborhood Services and Education Committee, Neighborhoods Commission, Senior Commission, Aging Services Collaborative.
• Neighborhoods: Winchester NAC/Business Association, ACUDIR, Eden, Lynhaven, Miller, Murdock, Westside.

Rhovy Cansino, Council Aide
Rhovylynn.Cansino@sanjoseca.gov

Rhovy graduated from San Jose State University with a B.A. degree in Political Science with concentrations in International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Administration. She began working with the City of San Jose as a student intern with the Office of the City Clerk in January 2005. After graduation, she worked as a Policy Analyst with Council District 4 under the administrations of Mayor Chuck Reed's transition team and Councilmember Kansen Chu.

Rhovy is currently a Master's Degree candidate in Public Administration at San Jose State. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, watching musicals, and spending time with her family.

• Responsibilities: City Council Agenda, Code Enforcement, Starbird Teen Center, Website Management, Intern Coordination, 3rd Grade Field Trips, Youth Issues, Office Support, Office Hours
• Committee and Commission Responsibilities: Rules and Open Government Council Committee, Community and Economic Development Council Committee, Federated Employees Retirement Board, Youth Commission, Appeals Hearing Board, Healthy Venture Neighborhoods Fund (HNVF), Moreland School Districts Community Board Advisory Committee (CBAC)
• Neighborhood: Easterbrook, Moreland West, Stevens Creek.