Rachael A. Tanner

From November 2020 until January 2024, Rachael served as a member of the San Francisco Planning Commission. Nominated by Mayor Breed and approved by the Board of Supervisors.

From November 7, 2018 to October 28, 2020, Rachael served on the San Francisco Board of Appeals. The Board of Appeals is a quasi-judicial body that provides the public with a final administrative review process for appeals relating to a wide range of City determinations.

Rachael is an active member of Glide Memorial Church. She is active in the homeowners association at her condo complex in “The Hub”; and actively volunteers on civic projects & initiatives.

PLANNING MATTERS - To reach out regarding Planning Department matters, please email Rachael.Tanner@sfgov.org.

Rachael has served three California municipalities: The City of Long Beach (2013-2016); the City and County of San Francisco (2016-2018); and the City of Palo Alto (2018-2022).

Her work has included a broad portfolio of projects that utilize her skills in project management, leading interdisciplinary teams, developing new policies, and working collaboratively with community.

• Planning - Excelsior & Outer Mission Neighborhood Strategy

• Planning - Sorrento Trail

• Policy Planning - Safe Parking, Palo Alto

• Planning - North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan, Palo Alto

• Policy & Urban Planning - Parklets, Palo Alto

• Economic Development - Worker Cooperatives

View a folder of projects and work samples here.

Rachael is a founder of Venture With Purpose, a consulting firm focused on helping develop, reinvigorate, and sustain strong and impactful organizations in the public, private, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors.

Areas of expertise include:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Team Building & Culture Shift

• Stress Management

• Executive and Team Member Coaching & Advising

• Effective Systems, Structures, and Practices

• Listening Sessions

• Meeting Facilitation

• Strategic Planning

Interested in engaging? Email Rachael@venturewithpurpose.com.

Rachael serves as founder and operator of Officially Hitched. Officially Hitched is a collective of diverse wedding officiants providing wedding officiating services for all couples through the San Francisco Bay Area. Officially Hitched creates wedding ceremonies perfectly fit every couple we serve.

Rachael began Officially Hitched after performing a wedding for two friends at the Brazil Room in Tilden Park. Since then, Rachael’s officiated hundreds of weddings throughout Northern California.

Looking for a San Francisco wedding officiant? You are in the right place!

To inquire about Rachael’s availability for your wedding, send her a message, write Rachael@officiallyhitched.com, or call (628) 400-2684. Rachael is your go to Bay Area Wedding Officiant.

In 2013, Rachael wrote and defended her thesis entitled “Worker Owned Cooperatives and the Ecosystems that Support Them” as part of her matriculation through MIT’s Master’s Degree program in City Planning.

Download the thesis here.

Download the policy recommendations chapter here.

By emphasizing wealth creation, communities can cultivate streams of income, while also building wealth. Through collectively owned and democratically governed assets, communities can build wealth. Economic development policy and practice should emphasize wealth creation. Employee ownership, through worker cooperatives is one way to build wealth. But worker cooperatives are rare in the United States; this is because there is not a supportive cooperative ecosystem. The province of Quebec, Canada has developed a robust cooperative ecosystem, leading the province to have the most cooperatives in Canada and a greater density of worker co-ops than the US.

This thesis explores the Quebec cooperative ecosystem through analysis of interviews with 22 leaders of over 19 organizations, including two worker cooperatives. This thesis seeks to understand (1) how the organizations and institutions in the ecosystem work together, (2) how they support cooperatives, and (3) how the lessons from Quebec can inform the development of a cooperative ecosystem in New York City.

This study reveals (1) the importance of historical, political, and cultural context in shaping the potential and possibilities for cooperative development; (2) that government support through policy, funding, and collaborative leadership is critical for the ecosystem's development; (3) apex organizations are necessary to provide leadership and technical assistance among cooperatives; (4) interaction among cooperatives of all kinds leads to a stronger network; and (5) the size of the sector makes it easier to secure public support.