A Federal Advocacy Agenda

Right now is a critical time to be engaged with the Federal government. There are once-in-a-generation resources available for the “big play” investments that our region needs to grow and thrive. Valley Vision has a long history of participating in our region’s annual Cap-to-Cap trip hosted by the Sacramento Metro Chamber.

This year we had leadership, or Co-Chair roles, on four teams (Air Quality, Economic Development, Food & Ag, and Workforce), and Trish Kelly, our Managing Director, served as Honorary Chair of the trip in recognition of her role in the region as a policy expert as well as her many years of Cap-to-Cap leadership. Our five Valley Vision staff who attended advanced our region’s sophisticated advocacy agendas; read about their experiences below.

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Adrian Rehn

Each year, the Sacramento Metro Chamber puts together an excellent and well-regarded “Capitol-to-Capitol” Federal advocacy program – the biggest of any Chamber-led effort in the country. Attending the program is an enormous honor and privilege, with 407 participants this year, including 100+ freshmen and 100+ elected officials, and a whole lot of others with important leadership roles in our region. This year was no exception – the Chamber absolutely nailed the look and feel of the 2023 program.

Grace Kaufman & Trish Kelly

Each year, Valley Vision’s participation in the Capitol to Capitol provides us an opportunity to advocate for the needs of the Sacramento Region on a national level. This year, the Food and Agriculture team was particularly impactful in highlighting the importance of the food system and the agricultural industry to the region’s economy and overall well-being. The team focused on the importance of supporting local food farms. ranches, food producers, nonprofits, food banks, restaurants, local governments, schools, hospitals, and businesses across the supply chain to ensure access to healthy, locally-sourced food for all. We advocated for improvements in the 2023 Farm Bill that would ensure access to critical programs that address food insecurity – a major challenge in our region – such as CalFresh. The discussions with our congressional delegation and agencies such as USDA and EDA provided the opportunity to highlight several of the region’s food and ag projects, focus on food as medicine, learn about new resources, and elevate our region as a place where all things food and ag are coming together through innovative and collaborative partnerships. 

Over the course of five days, the program was an invaluable opportunity to engage with policymakers and advocate for programs that would benefit the region’s agricultural industry and ensure that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious, and local food. Meeting with congressional and administration leaders who are advancing the National Strategy on Hunger Nutrition and Health led to commitments to continue working together this coming year.

To read more about food and ag in the Sacramento region, check out our website at wearefarmtofork.org.

Renee John

Participating in the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Cap to Cap program provides a well-orchestrated vehicle for regional leaders to advocate in unison on important policy issues. In the area of workforce development, major federal legislation is currently in the reauthorization process. This includes the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which provides the most significant federal investment in workforce education and training programs. Additionally, the National Apprenticeship Act, which has not been reauthorized since 1937, is being shaped and expanded. Participating in meetings with congressional leaders and committees that design these and other legislation brings an opportunity to express what works well, and what is in need of adjustment from the folks doing the work on the ground.

Evan Schmidt

Cap-to-Cap not only enables our region to connect with federal representatives and agencies, but it also creates a concentrated space to connect with each other. Through team meetings, receptions, mixers, and plenty of informal gatherings our region goes to Washington to get things done in the Sacramento region. Key on my mind during the trip was inclusive economic development. Through the Economic Development team, we advocated for our key priorities from the Prosperity Strategy, timely investments in broadband infrastructure, support to build out our innovative ecosystem of entrepreneurs, and a continued emphasis on international trade that connects our businesses to the global marketplace.

With Valley Vision leading the regional Community Economic Resilience Fund effort, we are well-positioned to hone in on the ways that federal partners can help us leverage this state investment to amplify the impact. Our region is also exploring the ways that new legislation might help support regional economic goals. One example is the CHIPS and Science Act – a recent federal investment in high-tech manufacturing designed to strengthen manufacturing, supply chains, and national security. We found our federal partners to be responsive to our goals and we found many opportunities and alignments with them and among each other as we work to support thriving, equitable, and sustainable communities here at home.

Remembering Jane Hagedorn

On March 14, 2023, longtime Breathe CA Sacramento Region CEO Jane Hagedorn passed away. Jane led the formation of the Cleaner Air Partnership in 1986 and stewarded countless local clean air initiatives for more than three decades.

Jane Hagedorn’s passing leaves a hole in my professional development as Breathe California Sacramento Region’s Acting CEO. While I was able to glean tips from Jane, I certainly felt there was much more to learn from her. Jane hired me after completing her Nonprofit Management Class at UC Davis’ Graduate School of Management in 2003. I was impressed by her confidence yet ability to carefully listen and strategize. She then became a mentor to me as I watched her interact with policymakers, leaders and her staff. She knew how to bring people together, even when it appeared that there wasn’t common ground. The Cleaner Air Partnership is a perfect example of Jane’s vision to make progress in improving air quality by involving a variety of groups and individuals. I appreciated her ability to skillfully delegate tasks and lead by example. She saw our organization through significant structural changes and led the charge to independent and relevant programming in the region. Thank you, Jane, for your leadership and friendship.

Jennifer Finton, Acting CEO of Breathe California Sacramento Region

The Cleaner Air Partnership began in early 1986 when Jane Hagedorn, Executive Director of the American Lung Association of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (ALASET) approached the President of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Mike Seward, and the Air Pollution Control Officer of the Sacramento County Air Pollution Control District, Norm Covell, to jointly sponsor a public-private partnership to support air quality improvement in the region. The concept of an economic and environmental alliance was appealing to all of the parties.

One of the reasons I admired Jane was she was willing to listen and respond even if it went a bit against the grain. The best example is the fact that she agreed to put out the report card for air quality improvements to counter the annual Lung Association report on how our region still got an F rating for air quality. We had done so much to reduce the number and severity of exceedances but were still getting hammered by the annual report. She recognized that it was important to give a little credit to the partners that had work so hard to bring our numbers down. A little pat on the back to encourage folks to keep working together to achieve the ever lower standards.

Becky Wood, Fmr. CAP Chair, Teichert Aggregates (retired)

In her many years of civic involvement, Jane was a Leader for various organizations including being the 1st female ever appointed to the Sacramento County Planning Commission and was recognized by the Sacramento Bee as one of the Most Influential Women in Sacramento County. She was also the award recipient of the Sacramento Audubon Society and Environmental Council of Sacramento and a Fellow of the American Leadership Foundation. Her numerous board member positions included the Tahoe Regional Planning Authority; Arden Park Recreation District, California Planning and Conservation League; Sacramento Symphony; Friends of Light Rail; and Valley Vision.

I remember her as a tenacious advocate for the breathing public in the Sacramento Region. In particular it was through her and others’ leadership that we were able to keep strong local programs in California under the Breathe California structure when the American Lung Association national leadership wanted to go another direction. That wasn’t an easy time but turned out OK in the end.

Larry Greene, Fmr. Air Pollution Control Officer, Sac Metro Air District

For more about Jane, read her Obituary and the Cleaner Air Partnership history document on the Valley Vision website. Thank you for taking the time to remember Jane.

To keep up with Valley Vision’s work to advance livability in the Sacramento region, subscribe to our Vantage Point email newsletter.

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Adrian Rehn is a Project Leader overseeing the Cleaner Air Partnership and Valley Vision’s Clean Economy portfolio.

Hopes for 2023

Welcome to 2023! A new year means new opportunities, so we asked our staff, “What is one thing you’re hopeful for?”

Thank you to all of our partners and community members who make our work possible; here’s to another year full of regional collaboration and positive change!