A Berkeley civic leader, small business owner, and pioneer of progressive digital politics, Brent Blackaby is running for Berkeley City Council to take action on our most pressing challenges – including crime & public safety, safe streets, affordable housing, wildfire safety, school safety, and homelessness.
In recent months, Berkeley city government has been challenged by dissension and dysfunction. Brent will bring a fresh perspective – informed by years of practical problem-solving experience, relationship building, and a can-do attitude – to bridge these divides and get things done for the people of Berkeley.
Brent and his partner, Larry Huynh, moved to North Berkeley in 2005. Their two children attend our local public school, Cragmont Elementary, where Brent chairs the School Site Council. He co-founded Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS), an organization working to improve campus security at every Berkeley school, and was recently appointed by the Superintendent to serve on the Berkeley School District’s safety committee. Brent also serves on the Berkeley Police Accountability Board, where he provides citizen oversight of the Berkeley Police Department.
Brent has co-founded two Berkeley businesses, including Trilogy Interactive – a pioneering digital communications company that has helped elect dozens of progressive leaders to the U.S. Senate and House, including Senators Barbara Boxer and Elizabeth Warren, and fight for statewide ballot initiatives to defend marriage equality, improve our schools, and protect the environment. Brent also founded and currently leads Confidently, a consumer privacy company that helps people take back control of their personal data across the internet.
Last year, Brent joined a group of concerned Berkeley citizens to draft a local ballot initiative that will repair, rehabilitate, and improve street and sidewalk safety across the city. He is currently organizing his North Berkeley neighborhood as part of the Firewise program to prepare for wildfire threats.
Brent spends his “free” time refereeing his kids’ soccer games and as an alumni interviewer for Berkeley-area high school seniors applying to Harvard.
