Competitiveness Council

William H. Duncan IV was selected as the sixth President of Sierra College in 2011. President Duncan revitalized the college’s facility master planning efforts resulting in a 20-year plan to accommodate the future growth and needs of the Rocklin campus, culminating in the passage of a $350 million bond measure in June 2018. The Rocklin campus master plan consists of new and upgraded facilities, including a new science building, a public safety center, infrastructure improvements and expansion of student services facilities. President Duncan is also leading the college through a re-engineering of programs and services to streamline student progress, ensure student success and remove the barriers to completion. A key component of this effort has been the development of a strong collaborative partnership with the K-12 school districts in the college’s service area. Working closely with the Sierra College Foundation, the college opened its first centralized Veterans Center to support the growing population of returning service men and women and created the Sierra Promise program for students who may not have considered college an option.

President Duncan is actively involved at the state level and serves on multiple committees and task forces. He is a board member of the Community College Facility Coalition (CCFC), the Association for California Community College Administrators (ACCCA), the Community College League of California (CCLC) Advisory Committee on Legislation, the Placer County Economic Development Board, Valley Vision and several Chambers of Commerce. He serves as co-chair of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council’s Competitiveness Council which promotes economic growth for the region. He is also a lifelong Rotarian.

Willy and his wife, Melody, reside in Newcastle. They have two sons, a daughter, a beautiful grand-daughter and three dogs.

(2011-Present) President of Jessup University

• University of California, Santa Barbara, M.A., Ph.D.
• Fuller Theological Seminary, M.A.
• Chapman University, B.A.

Prior to joining Jessup University as its Sixth President in March 2011, John served as the Executive Director of Thriving Churches International and as a Senior Leader of Bayside Church, Granite Bay, California. He is the Founding Pastor of LifePoint Church in Minden, Nevada, and previously was the Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest (now Transformation Ministries) where he was responsible to serve more than 270 churches in four Western states. John also served as the Senior Pastor and in several staff roles at First Baptist Church of Oxnard and as the Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church of Buena Park. Dr. Jackson earned both his Ph.D. and M.A. in Educational Administration and Organizational Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; M.A. in Theology (Christian Formation and Discipleship) at Fuller Theological Seminary; and a B.A. in Religion (Christian History and Thought) from Chapman University.

His strong background in executive and organizational leadership has given him the opportunity to come alongside high impact churches and leaders in national and global settings to strengthen their organizational leadership and communication skills. John is committed to leverage his Kingdom influence through strategic relationships.

Dr. Jackson has written and co-authored six books: Finding Your Place in God’s Plan, God Size Your Church, Leveraging Your Communication Style, Leveraging Your Leadership Style, Pastorpreneur and High Impact Church Planting.

Dr. Jackson is married to Pamela and they make their home in Rocklin, CA. They have 5 children, 3 wonderful sons-in-law, 3 glorious granddaughters and a big dog named Max.

For nearly 30 years, Michael Ault has been a driving force behind the revitalization of Sacramento’s urban core. As Executive Director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership since 1996, he leads the property-based improvement district (PBID) that serves as the collective voice for property and business owners in the central business district. He also oversees the Downtown Sacramento Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has raised funds for some of downtown’s most innovative projects since 2011.

Michael’s leadership has shaped downtown Sacramento’s identity through transformative projects, public space management, and strategic advocacy. At just 29, he became the youngest executive director of a business improvement district in the country after helping to pass landmark legislation in 1994 that enabled PBIDs to operate in California. Since then, he has successfully guided the Partnership through economic downturns and periods of significant growth, including the transformative development brought about by the Golden 1 Center and the strategic recovery efforts necessitated by the challenges downtowns across the county faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With an annual $8 million budget, 45 staff members, and responsibility for two organizations, Michael oversees key programs in business and economic development, destination marketing, public space services, policy advocacy, and special events. Signature initiatives under his leadership have earned national recognition from the International Downtown Association, including the Navigator Program, Calling All Dreamers, Concerts in the Park, Dine Downtown, State of the Downtown Breakfast, Retail Recruitment Program, and the Holiday Ice Rink.

Michael’s ability to bring together public and private stakeholders has been instrumental in advancing projects such as the railyards Kaiser Permanente campus, Republic FC’s proposed stadium, a new convention center hotel, and investments in the Old Sacramento Waterfront. His collaborative approach has brought investments to iconic and visionary projects like the Old Sacramento neon sign and Capitol Mall’s revitalized green spaces.

Beyond his work with DSP, Michael is engaged in the community. He is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento, where he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, and a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum. He serves on the boards of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, Visit Sacramento, and the Downtown Sacramento Revitalization Corporation and has held leadership roles with the International Downtown Association and the California Downtown Association.

A Sacramento resident for over three decades, Michael lives in Land Park with his wife, Christine where they raised their two children. His dedication to downtown’s future continues to inspire impactful growth and investment for the entire region.

Aren Bazzocco is the President of the Sacramento Division of Taylor Morrison, a national homebuilder serving a wide array of consumers across 19 major markets in 11 states. Under his leadership, which began in 2015, the Division has constructed over 4,000 homes in the Greater Sacramento area.  Mr. Bazzocco believes that there is no greater feeling than giving a family the keys to their new home.  He is confident that success comes through those you surround yourself with, putting integrity and character over experience when hiring new team members.  With his guidance, the Division has participated in numerous community service projects that focus on housing for Veterans, Homeless and at-risk Women and Children.  He served on the North State Building Industry Association’s board of directors for six years, including four on the executive committee and was appointed Chairman in 2020.  Mr. Bazzocco has more than 22 years of homebuilding and financial experience, is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from CSU-Sacramento.

Dan Beans was named Electric Utility Director in 2022. The City of Roseville is unique to the Sacramento region in that it owns and operates its own electric utility. Roseville is located in Northern California, about 16 miles northeast of Sacramento, with a population of approximately 145,000.

Mr. Beans oversees a $165 million budget and over 190 employees who are responsible for generation and distribution of electricity to about 65,000 residential and business customers. Roseville Electric operates two power plants, including the Roseville Energy Park, a 160 megawatt natural gas, combined cycle power plant. Roseville’s electric utility is consistently recognized for its highly reliable system, low rates, efficient operations and innovative programs.

Prior to becoming Roseville Electric’s Director, Mr. Beans was the Electric Utility Director for the City of Redding. He also previously served as Assistant Utility Director responsible for the Utility Operations Division, and prior to that time, he served as an Electrical Engineer, Engineering Manager, and Assistant Director over Resource Planning.

Mr. Beans currently serves as President of CMUA Board of Governors. In addition, Mr. Beans represents Region 6 (Arizona, California and Nevada) on the American Public Power Association (APPA) Board of Directors.

Mr. Beans is a licensed Professional Electrical Engineer with the State of California. He began his career in public power over 18 years ago, after spending more than 12 years in the private sector, where he performed electrical engineering for NASA, the City of Portland, and numerous other organizations through a consulting engineering firm.

Mr. Beans holds a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Physics from Point Loma Nazarene University and a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Finance from National University. Mr. Beans is married and has three adult children.

Crystal Bethke is the Director of Economic Development for Sacramento County. As director, she leads the County’s efforts in business development, retention, and attraction, revitalizing commercial corridors, Public Art, and the Business Environmental Resource Center. She also directs marketing initiatives and oversees private-public partnerships. The Office of Economic Development manages an annual budget of approximately $100 million.
Prior to her appointment in 2023, Crystal had over 16 years of experience in economic development, during which she successfully implemented development strategies, incentive and grant programs, marketing plans, and support programs for entrepreneurs, businesses, and nonprofits.

Crystal is an active member in several economic development organizations including the California Association of Local Economic Development, International Council of Shopping Centers, and Urban Land Institute. She is a civic leader and serves on the boards for Sacramento Works, Visit Sacramento, and is on the Leadership Council for the California Jobs First initiative. Crystal has a Bachelor of Science degree in Government as well as a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco.

Stephen Clark is the Deputy Director of Airport Commercial Development for the Sacramento County Department of Airports with over 17 years in aviation, including 13 in senior leadership roles. He started as a ramp agent and progressed to supervisory roles at several major U.S. airlines. As Director of Marketing and Technology for an aviation support provider, he helped grow the company into the largest privately owned entity in its category. He then served as Director of Business Development at Gerald R. Ford International Airport before coming to Sacramento to lead the airport’s first ever commercial development team. In this role, Stephen oversees real estate, business development, concessions, air service development, and marketing activities. A Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives, he holds a degree in aviation science from Utah Valley University.

Jay Day serves as the Executive Director of Government and External Affairs for Verizon in the Western Region. Mr. Day is responsible for government and community relations in cities throughout California. He has worked for Verizon since 2017. Prior to joining Verizon, Mr. Day spent over 20 years working in the California State Legislature as a consultant and Chief of Staff to members in both the Senate and Assembly including multiple Senate Presidents Pro Tem and Speakers of the Assembly.

Jennifer has worked in consulting for more than twenty years. Her skills include extensive and significant experience in guiding C-Level executive teams in defining and establishing a culture of. Through strong discovery and probing skills, she brings an understanding of emerging trends and technologies which allows her to advise clients on the most relevant and impactful approaches to driving their business goals.

Currently, she is focused on driving ideation and creativity as the Innovation and Value Lead for one of Accenture’s largest client accounts. She brings new ways of “working and doing” to our clients and our partners with a focus on showing- rather than telling.  Through co-creation, MVP, rapid prototyping and other methodologies, she designs custom approaches for a digital transformation. Her strategic thinking skills are focused on results, business outcomes, and delivering value.

Her previous positions at Accenture include: management consulting, business development, and human resources. She also has extensive experience working in global roles, including strategic planning roles in Transitions, Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Succession Planning, and I&D. She also led the design and implementation of Accenture’s Sacramento Innovation Office which is anchored with  a human-led and technologically-enabled environment for creativity and collaboration. She is lives in Sacramento with her three children.

Terry was born in Sacramento. He attended UCLA and graduated with his Economics degree in 1992 while earning All American honors in swimming.

From 1995 to 1999, Terry was a commercial Real Estate Broker with Colliers International in Phoenix, Arizona, where his practice focused on multi-family projects.

In 1999, he became a Director of Harvego Enterprises, a firm designed to invest in Sacramento-based ventures. His responsibilities include proposal analysis, real estate operations and managing various business interests.

Beginning in 1999 to the present, he has been involved in a developed project in Auburn, California that at one time was over 2,500 acres. In 2010 he played a key role in working with the Trust for Public Lands to ensure that 1,700 acres of oak woodland including land along the Bear River would be forever preserved. That project remains ongoing today.

From 2000 – 2005 Terry was the Managing Member of Choice Exhibits, a trade show display company that Harvego Enterprises had made an investment in. The company provided a variety of trade show displays and services to companies throughout Northern California.

Since 2006, in addition to managing various other real estate projects, his activities have focused on the Orleans Project. This project involved working with the City of Sacramento to develop the vacant lot where the former Orleans Hotel, a historic building, once sat. This project, with 24 “for rent” lofts, was completed in September 2008. The Orleans project turned a lot that had been vacant for nearly 40 years into a residential/retail showplace for Sacramento.

He was also the owner in charge of getting Ten22 restaurant built and opened. Ten22 is a rustically refined restaurant on the ground floor of the Orleans that opened in late 2009 and closed in 2018. Upon the decision to close Ten22, Terry lead the leasing efforts to sign Hoppy Brewing Company as a tenant in the space.

Terry is also running Foresight Property Management, an in-house property management company that oversees the property management functions for the Harvego Companies properties.

Since 1998, Harvego has been very active in working with the Harvego Family Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that contributes to numerous programs for children and the arts in Sacramento, including Sacramento Theatre Company, First Tee, Friends for Kids, Arts and Business Council, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Ballet and Children’s Receiving Home.

Civic Involvement
2016 – Present: Greater Sacramento Economic Committee – Competitiveness Council
2016 – Present: Downtown Sacramento Partnership Governance Committee
2015 – Present: Old Sacramento Advisory Committee (Chair in 2015)
2014 – Present: Metro Chamber Board of Directors
2014 – 2015: American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow
2013 – Present: West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce Board Member (Current Past Chair)
2008 – 2012: Sacramento Sports Commission
2007 – 2012: Sacramento Regional Sports and Education Foundation Board Member
2008 – 2012: Metro Chamber Board of Directors
2006 – 2015: Old Sacramento Business Association
2006 – 2008: Historic Old Sacramento Foundation Board of Directors
Class of 2006 Leadership Sacramento
2003 – 2007: Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy Board of Directors
2003 – 2004: Metro Chamber Small Business Advisory Counsel
1999 – Present: Harvego Family Foundation

Bill Johal, CCM, FCMAA, DBIA, is a seasoned construction management professional with over 32 years of experience overseeing all phases of public and private sector projects. He currently serves as Vice President of Business Development at Kitchell, where he has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth across Northern California. Bill has a proven track record in leading high-performing teams, fostering strategic client partnerships, and driving business development efforts across multiple regions.

A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Bill has extensive expertise in program management, master planning, preconstruction, design phase management, and construction administration. He has worked on a wide range of market sectors, including essential services, K-12 and higher education, civic/municipal, and cultural projects. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed complex projects, liaising with owners, architects, consultants, and user groups to ensure seamless project execution from inception to completion.

Bill’s leadership extends beyond his project roles, with a commitment to mentoring the next generation of construction professionals. His efforts have significantly increased the number of Certified Construction Managers (CCMs) within Kitchell, reflecting his dedication to professional development and certification advocacy.

Recognized as a thought leader in the industry, Bill was inducted into the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) College of Fellows in 2024, a testament to his exceptional contributions and leadership. His certifications include Certified Construction Manager (CCM) and Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), further demonstrating his depth of knowledge and expertise in the field. Bill currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Construction Management Association of America, Broadway Sacramento/Broadway At Music Circus & Broadway On Tour and the American Heart Association 2025 Heart of Sacramento / Heart Ball Executive Leadership Team.

With a passion for collaboration and innovation, Bill continues to champion best practices in construction management, ensuring project success while fostering strong, long-lasting client relationships.

Blake Johnson serves as the Chief Strategy Officer for Child Action, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering families and child care professionals in Sacramento County. In this role, Blake leads efforts to enhance the organization’s visibility, shape federal, state, and local public policy, and cultivate strategic partnerships, driving growth through innovative collaborations.

Blake is a results-driven professional with over 14 years of experience in government affairs, advocacy, and strategic communications. His efforts have contributed to significant legislative advancements in education, affordable housing, economic development, and retirement security.

Blake’s career highlights include advising California State Treasurer John Chiang, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on public policy and strategic initiatives. Notably, he served as the Superintendent’s designee to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), the nation’s second-largest pension fund, where he played a pivotal role in advancing decisions on investments and governance.

An avid sports fan and travel enthusiast, Blake is also deeply committed to community involvement. He previously served on the City of Sacramento’s Stadium Area Financing Authority and the Inclusive Economic and Community Development Investment Committee. Blake’s leadership philosophy is grounded in collaboration, innovation, and the belief that every child deserves a strong foundation for lifelong success. He resides in Sacramento with his wife and two young children.

Henry Li is a visionary and transformational leader with a proven track record of strategic innovations. During his extensive transportation career, he has successfully led a variety of industry cutting edge initiatives in highly political, complex and dynamic metropolitan regions, with a successful history of building strong alliances both internally and externally to promote multi-modal mobility options for the future.

Since becoming Sacramento Regional Transit District’s (SacRT) General Manager/CEO in early 2016, Henry has been credited for the solid, rapid and comprehensive transformation/overhaul of SacRT that has been praised by the Sacramento community and the transit industry nationwide. Some of his achievements include: 1.) Cultivated a solid culture of “Customers First and Running SacRT as an Effective Business Enterprise,” and dramatically improved all key aspects of operational performance, including safety, security, reliability, customer services and on-time performance; 2.) Developed and inspired a top-notch leadership team and agency-wide staff to pursue excellence on all fronts with an inclusive and diverse culture; 3.) Developed an innovative transportation vision, including shared mobility, bus electrification, on-demand microtransit and autonomous vehicles; 4.) Led capital region rail system modernization and system expansion initiatives, including a new Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project; and 5.) Made substantial progress in collaborating and uniting eight suburban transit agencies within the greater six-county Sacramento region to develop a customer-friendly, integrated mobility solution for regional economic growth.

Known as a game changer in the industry, Henry is continuously driving for dramatic improvements in leadership, culture and performance at SacRT. Henry is committed to building a world-class transit system that serves as the catalyst for economic growth in the capital region of the world’s 5th largest economy.

A recognized and respected industry leader, Henry has been an active participant in various prestigious leadership programs and boards such as: American Public Transportation Association; California Transit Association; State of California Transit Strategic Planning Committee; National Transportation Learning Center; Leadership Atlanta; Leadership DeKalb; Leadership Jacksonville; Virginia Senate Transit Advisory Committee; and Sacramento Downtown Partnership Board.

Henry has been an active participant in various prestigious leadership programs and boards such as: American Public Transportation Association (APTA); California Transit Association (CTA); California Transit Strategic Planning Committee; Leadership Atlanta in Georgia; Jacksonville Mayor’s Asian American Advisory Board; Leadership Jacksonville in Florida; Virginia Senate Transit Advisory Committee; and Sacramento Downtown Partnership Board. Most recently, Henry was selected as a new Board Director of APTA, and appointed to the finance committee representing the APTA Board.

Henry came to SacRT from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) in Jacksonville, Florida where he made historic improvements with JTA team which received recognition as the “Outstanding Public Transportation System” by APTA in 2016. Prior to that, Henry held various leadership positions in other transit agencies, such as: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and San Francisco Muni (SFMTA).

A Certified Public Accountant, Henry received his B.S. degree and Master’s degree in liberal arts from China and a Master’s of business administration from Georgia Southern University.

Jan Mason is an Associate Principal at Mackenzie, an architecture, engineering, and land use planning firm with several office locations on the West Coast, including Sacramento. Mackenzie’s diverse portfolio includes advanced technology, industrial, commercial office, retail, community infrastructure and public sector projects. Jan is an award-winning leader in communication and initiatives focused on shared prosperity. She has extensive experience advising local, regional, and state governments on equitable and inclusive economic development strategies. This includes crafting grant proposals, promoting supplier diversity, and ensuring equity in contracting opportunities.

Born on the Pacific Island of Guam, Jan is a second-generation Filipino American who grew up in the East Bay. She dedicates her free time to community advocacy and volunteers for organizations that focus on economic development strategies. She collaborates with colleagues and industry leaders at Mackenzie to enhance marketing strategies and drive business development. Additionally, Janice leads an in-house marketing and communications team, emphasizing digital and visual communication methods.

Michael is a Partner/Principal in Ernst & Young LLP’s West Region Tax practice and has more than 13 years of experience in public accounting serving a variety of private and publicly held companies.

Experience

Michael is a key member of Ernst & Young LLP’s Indirect Tax practice and focuses on identifying federal, state and local incentives, structuring incentive negotiations, and implementing a variety of public financing and tax incentives.

He has worked with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies in a number of industries as well as several public-sector entities including utilities, manufacturing, health care, retail, consumer products and employment services.

Michael has assisted in capturing several billion dollars in credits and incentives for his clients.

He serves as Ernst & Young LLP’s statutory and discretionary incentives expert and is the state desk for California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Alaska, Montana and Wyoming.

Michael received an MBA in Finance (magna cum laude) from California State University Sacramento and has a BS in Finance, Risk Management and Insurance from California State University Sacramento.

Michelle Willard is currently Sacramento State’s new Chief of External Relations. Willard was brought onto the team by President Luke Wood to revitalize and develop crucial relationships and partnerships to help transform the university. In this new role, Willard will be at the forefront overseeing federal, state and local policy initiatives and developing strategic partnerships with private industry leaders.

Prior to taking on this new and ambitious role, Willard was the Chief Public Affairs Officer with the Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC). There she worked with community leaders, CEO’s, city council members, congressional leaders, presidents and county supervisors to develop initiatives to the six counties in Sacramento. Before her departure Willard worked collaboratively with the medial, state, congressional and local officials and community partners to see through the success of a $1.5 billion semiconductor investment with BOSCH, a German global company.

In the onset of her career, Willard envisioned herself as CNN’s top news anchors. Determined to achieve this goal, Willard earned her BS in Broadcast, Journalism and Marketing from Lyndon State College in Vermont. She embarked on her career in broadcasting as a city reporter and news anchor for KTXS News in Abilene Texas and NEWS 19 WLTX in Columbia South Carolina.

Willard has used her background in television to take her to great heights. With a strong work ethic, dedication and focus, Willard has established a great track record and brings a wealth of knowledge to each position she has held. She was recently recognized by Comstock Magazine Women in Leadership article in their annual salute to women in the top of their field. In her spare time, however, Willard enjoys spending time with her husband, an AirForce pilot, and two young boys.

Kyle Zimbelman has worked for El Dorado County since 2014. Since 2018 he has served as the Economic and Business Relations Manager for El Dorado County within the Planning and Building Department.  Kyle oversees Economic development efforts on behalf of the County and works with the business community on retention, expansion, and attraction initiatives.  He is also the lead on the County’s Broadband internet efforts. Kyle works with internal and external stakeholders on the County’s Economic Development strategic plan, which includes elements focused on housing, education, workforce development, and quality job creation.

Kyle received his B.A. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University. He currently lives in Apple Hill with his wife and 4 children.