Ben Davis is the visionary behind The Bay Lights, asking in September 2010, “What if the Bay Bridge were a canvas of light?”  Two-and-a-half years later, after teaming with internationally renowned artist Leo Villareal, a vast and passionate community had come together to fully permit, design, install, fund and celebrate an historic, transformative moment—the March 5, 2013 grand lighting of the world’s largest LED light sculpture. For more than a quarter century, Ben Davis has led communications on civic mega projects and matters of public safety, public health, public transit, the environment, urban revitalization and public art. He cut his teeth working as the manager of public information on the $4B Boston Harbor Cleanup project.Upon moving to San Francisco in 1994, Ben founded the creative agency Words Pictures Ideas with the mantra of “Do Good. Have Fun. Learn.” A recipient of two international Webby Awards for best website in government, Ben has helped name, brand and communicate about infrastructure projects totaling more than $15B in civic investment, including developing the names and visual identities of The Bay Bridge Seismic Safety Projects, Transbay Transit Center and Presidio Parkway. He has edited and published Everything Indicates: Bay Bridge Poems & Portraits,. Ben Davis is the artist behind Pi In The Sky, a featured work of the 2012 ZERO1 Art & Technology International Biennial and SXSW 2014. He is also the founder of Illuminate the Arts.

Susan Schwartzenberg is a senior artist at the Exploratorium, where she leads the development of the Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery. She has been a curator, photographer, designer, and artist, and served as director of media for the museum. She has participated in many exhibit development and Web-based projects. Susan was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and has taught at the San Francisco Art Institute, the California College of Art, and Stanford University. As a photographer and visual artist, she has received numerous awards, and has taken part in residencies and exhibitions worldwide. She is known for her public art, including recent works at Stanford

Arfaraz Khambatta is currently the Director of the Mayor's Office on Disability. Trained as an architect and a Certified Access Specialist (CASp), Mr. Khambatta has served on the California Division of the State Architect’s (DSA) Evaluation of Detectable Warnings Advisory Committee and has provided accessibility code compliance plan reviews for the DSA Regional Offices in Oakland, Sacramento and San Diego. Mr. Khambatta’s experience spans planning and implementing disability access for complex design and construction projects. Engaging with the disability community, he has collaborated with several local municipalities and state agencies in updating their ADA Transition Plans. He has developed customized training packages on issues ranging from maintenance of accessible features to prioritizing mitigation of accessibility barriers. He has presented papers on accessibility planning tools at the National ADA Symposium and the International Conference on Mobility and Transport for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities, as well as provided training workshops on new state and federal accessibility regulations for the American Public Works Association at its International Congress. Mr. Khambatta has also provided educational seminars for small business owners to better understand their obligations under Title III of the ADA.

As a global leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software, Autodesk helps people imagine, design, and create a better world. Autodesk offers an unparalleled depth of experience and a broad portfolio of software to give customers the power to solve their design, business, and environmental challenges. In addition to designers, architects, engineers, and media and entertainment professionals, Autodesk helps students, educators, and casual creators unlock their creative ideas through user-friendly applications.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) is one of the nation’s most innovative contemporary art centers. Founded in 1993 as the cultural anchor of the Yerba Buena Gardens development, we serve the diverse and ever-evolving community that surrounds us. From our leading edge exhibitions, performances, and films, to our groundbreaking civic initiatives and community partnerships, YBCA is where creativity, people, and new ideas collide.

The SF Planning Department, under the direction of the Planning Commission, shapes the future of San Francisco and the region by: generating an extraordinary vision for the General Plan and in neighborhood plans; fostering exemplary design through planning controls; improving our surroundings through environmental analysis; preserving our unique heritage; encouraging a broad range of housing and a diverse job base; and enforcing the Planning Code.