Alex Tourk is the Founder and Principal of Ground Floor, a San Francisco based public affairs firm, with a diverse portfolio of clients, including Amazon, Lyft, Airbnb, and Square. Alex is from New York and was raised in Los Angeles He received a B.A. in History from Boston University His first government job was an unpaid internship for Senator Boxer, while waiting tables at night. Worked as a district director for Assemblyman Lou Papan in the California State Assembly. Alex worked for 3 years in constituent affairs in the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco, for Willie Brown He also served as the Director of Government Relations for the San Francisco 49ers. He returned to the public sector to serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff to then Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco before taking his current role as principal of Ground Floor. “Being Involved in a campaign was a lot like being in a play. You rehearse and rehearse. Then it’s showtime, the curtain comes up and its election day, and you either get the New York times review or you are a flop.” With extensive experience in San Francisco Bay area politics, Alex Tourk and his team at Ground Floor represent private sector and non-profit clients. They help their clients navigate the government process and build strong partnerships in the community. Alex shares his experience leading a successful company and how he got to where he is today. Alex Tourk helped create Project Homelessness Connect, a civic initiative that brings together resources to fight homelessness, now found in over 200 cities worldwide. Ground Floor proudly offers paid internships, and Summer Fellowships that you can find on their site! Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show.  Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.