Downtown San Diego Partnership

A strong Downtown is essential to a strong San Diego region. Our Vice President of Government Affairs, Justine Murray, MPA, recently joined San Diego County Assessor/ Recorder/ Clerk Jordan Marks, Esq. at the INSIDE SAN DIEGO Real Estate Event for a conversation about the opportunities and challenges shaping San Diego’s real estate market and the conditions needed to support continued investment and growth. Downtown is where many of the issues shaping our region’s future come together. Housing, jobs, development, transportation and quality of life all play a role in creating a place where businesses want to invest, people want to live and visitors want to spend time. Continuing that momentum requires collaboration between the public and private sectors and a shared commitment to San Diego’s economic vitality. Thank you to Tracie Hasse and the INSIDE SAN DIEGO team for bringing together leaders from across the industry and giving us the opportunity to share Downtown’s perspective. We’re proud to be part of conversations like these as we work toward an even stronger, more vibrant Downtown San Diego.

We’ve refreshed the Downtown San Diego Partnership homepage to create a more connected and streamlined experience for our community. The new design makes it easier to find information about our programs, initiatives, events, resources, and opportunities to engage, all from one central location. Want to learn more about who we are and what we do? Watch a new video featuring President & CEO Betsy Brennan as she shares more about the Downtown San Diego Partnership, our mission, and the work we’re doing to move Downtown forward. Explore our new homepage here: https://lnkd.in/gvE_FTKV

We’re proud to celebrate the growth and accomplishments of our Partnership for Growth Mentorship Program participants: Dennis Yu, Chris Brown, DeAnte Spruill, Jacqueline Smith, Angel Alameri, Alex Wilkes, and Oliver Vera. Designed to cultivate future leaders, the program focuses on professional development, connection, and growth across the organization. Throughout the program, our participants have embraced opportunities to learn, engage, strengthen their skills, and grow in their careers. A special thank you to our mentors for their exceptional guidance, encouragement, and commitment throughout the program. Your investment in the development of our team plays an important role in helping cultivate the next generation of leaders. Congratulations to all of our participants on a successful mentorship experience!

Taste of Diversity is coming to Civic Center Plaza! Join us for an afternoon of culture, community, and connection as Civic Center Plaza comes alive with live cultural performances, local vendors, and experiences that showcase cultures from around the world. Browse a variety of vendors offering international food and drinks, handcrafted art, and unique goods, while enjoying live music and cultural programming presented by Centered for World Music. Interested in being a vendor? This is the last week to apply! Showcase your business, products, or services and connect with the Downtown community at Taste of Diversity. Apply here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g5YKagKh

Progress Park came alive on Bastille Day with culture, community, and plenty of excitement as the French Market and World Cup Final Watch Party brought Downtown San Diego together. It was wonderful to see residents, visitors, families, and soccer fans gathering to shop local vendors, enjoy French-inspired cuisine, and experience one of the year's biggest sporting events in a vibrant public space. We're grateful to have partnered with the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SD FACC to help activate Downtown and create opportunities for people to connect through culture and shared experiences. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a success. We look forward to many more community activations ahead!

Congratulations to our Vice President of People & Culture, April Hill, MBA, on being recognized in the 2026 Leaders of Influence in Human Resources by the San Diego Business Journal. April's leadership has helped cultivate a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow. Through her commitment to fostering diversity, championing professional development, and creating an inclusive culture, she has made a lasting impact on our organization and the people who make it thrive. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and grateful for all she does to support our people every day.

After five years with the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Josh Callery-Coyne is beginning an exciting new chapter. Josh's impact can be seen in the work we've accomplished as an organization, but even more so in the people he's worked alongside. He has been a thoughtful leader, a trusted teammate, and someone who consistently brought people together to solve challenges, build partnerships, and move meaningful work forward. Whether supporting transformational initiatives, championing new ideas, or offering guidance to colleagues, Josh approached every opportunity with empathy and a genuine commitment to making Downtown San Diego stronger for everyone. As he begins his next chapter, we are grateful for the lasting impact he has had on our team, our organization, and the community we serve. Thank you, Josh, for your leadership, friendship, and the many ways you've helped shape the Downtown San Diego Partnership over the past five years. We wish you nothing but success in what's ahead.

In recognition of National Intern Day, we're celebrating the talented interns who help make the Downtown San Diego Partnership stronger every day. To celebrate, our interns joined President & CEO Betsy Brennan and VP for People & Culture April Hill, MBA for lunch to reflect on their experiences, share career aspirations, and talk about what's next on their journeys. Nathan Hunter, Jacob Rodin, Ariana Matthews, Stella Orso, and June York thank you for your hard work, fresh perspectives, and dedication. Your enthusiasm and commitment make a meaningful impact on our team and the work we do to support Downtown San Diego. We're also proud to recognize Ariana Matthews on her recent promotion to Policy Coordinator. Seeing interns grow within our organization is a testament to the talent, passion, and leadership they bring to our organization. We look forward to seeing all you'll continue to accomplish!

Congratulations to our Executive Administrator to the CEO & COO, Gina Osuna-Sutton, on being recognized in the inaugural 2026 San Diego Business Journal Indispensables! 🎉 Those who know Gina know this recognition is incredibly well deserved. She exemplifies what it means to be indispensable. Her expertise, behind-the-scenes leadership, and unwavering dedication are at the heart of everything we do. From keeping our organization running smoothly to supporting our team and advancing our mission, Gina consistently goes above and beyond. This recognition is a testament to the tremendous impact she makes every single day, and we couldn't be more proud. Congratulations, Gina! 👏

This past Saturday, the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians dedicated Wíy’Ístam: Before There Were Borders at the San Diego Central Library. Created with photography by Andrew Pittman, the mural shares the history of the Los Coyotes Band and the Cahuilla people while honoring their ongoing stewardship of culture, language, and the land, including their partnership with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance to help restore the California condor. Originally commissioned through OurWorlds as part of World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024 and the Bay to Park Paseo, the artwork invites visitors to learn more about the Indigenous history of our region through both the mural and its augmented reality experience. The Downtown San Diego Partnership is proud to support projects that celebrate our region’s diverse history, strengthen connections, and create more vibrant public spaces for our community. The dedication also included the presentation of "Chem'ivillu' (Let's Speak Cahuilla)" to the San Diego Central Library by Amara Siva, Ph.D., HCLD(ABB), on behalf of the Los Coyotes Band, honoring the legacy of the late Cahuilla scholar and language preservationist Katherine Siva Saubel. Thank you to the Los Coyotes Band, the San Diego Central Library, OurWorlds, Inc., New City America, Inc., and all of the partners who helped make this celebration possible.