POLICY WATCH – March 2026
In This Issue
New Report Out: Immigration, Workforce Stability, and Economic Resiliency in the Bay Area
Our Kids Our Future-Marin Child Care Initiative
Don’t Miss Out! Register Now for Leaders of the North Bay Awards Luncheon, April 24th
Other Upcoming Events
Business Edge Briefing, Leading Through Crisis, April 14th
Welcome New Members- PEP Housing, Newmark, 10,000 Degrees
Members in the News
As the pace of change accelerates from the rapid rise of AI to ongoing economic and workforce uncertainty the demands on leadership are evolving in real time. Today’s leaders are being called not only to guide their organizations, but to navigate complexity, make decisions in uncertain conditions, and respond to forces reshaping our economy from tech disruptions to workforce challenges.
At the North Bay Leadership Council, fostering and elevating this kind of leadership is central to our mission. We see it every day across our membership, leaders working across sectors to address complex challenges and strengthen the long-term resiliency of our region, particularly as industries navigate workforce constraints and shifting economic conditions.
That commitment is reflected in our upcoming Leaders of the North Bay luncheon, where we will recognize individuals shaping the future of our communities, as well as our breakfast briefing on leading through crisis, a timely conversation focused on navigating disruption and uncertainty. Together, these convenings underscore NBLC’s role in connecting and equipping leaders to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose in an increasingly complex world.
Thank you for staying engaged in the work of building a more resilient, prosperous and equitable North Bay.
Best regards,
Joanne
Immigration, Workforce Stability, and Economic Resiliency in the Bay Area:
A growing body of research and recent news coverage in the SF Chronicle (subscription needed) makes clear that immigration is fundamental to the Bay Area’s economic resiliency. A new report from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute finds that approximately 478,000 undocumented immigrants are embedded in the regional, 9 Bay Area counties’ workforce, contributing more than $8.4 billion in annual taxes and filling critical roles across construction, hospitality, caregiving, and service industries. Their labor force participation exceeds that of native-born workers, underscoring how essential they are to maintaining business operations and addressing persistent workforce shortages.
The Institute’s broader research on immigration enforcement highlights just how consequential this workforce is to economic stability. Across California, undocumented workers represent roughly 8% of the labor force and generate nearly 5% of the state’s GDP directly rising to nearly 9% when accounting for ripple effects across supply chains and local spending. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research adds to the reporting, that immigrants also contribute more than $23 billion annually in taxes, supporting public services and regional infrastructure. The report warns that large-scale deportation or sustained enforcement pressures could remove a significant portion of this workforce, resulting in as much as a $275 billion loss to California’s economy and severe disruptions to industries already facing labor shortages, including agriculture and construction.
The report continues to warn, that at the regional level, the consequences are equally stark. The Bay Area economy could see an estimated $67 billion annual reduction in GDP without immigrant labor, with impacts extending beyond workforce loss to include reduced productivity, constrained hiring, and weakened consumer demand. Importantly, the report emphasizes that economic disruption is not limited to large-scale policy changes fear and uncertainty alone are already suppressing workforce participation, delaying business activity, and creating inefficiencies across sectors.
For the North Bay Leadership Council, these findings directly reinforce the importance of economic resiliency as a core priority. A stable and accessible workforce is essential to business growth, housing production, and long-term regional competitiveness. Across the North Bay where industries like agriculture, healthcare, construction, and hospitality rely heavily on immigrant labor economic resilience depends on policies and conditions that support workforce participation and stability. Ensuring that the region can retain and support this workforce is not only a matter of equity, but a strategic imperative to sustain economic vitality, meet employer needs, and strengthen the overall resilience of the North Bay economy.
Our Kids Our Future-Marin Child Care Initiative:
Strengthening Marin’s Workforce and Provide Safe Place for Children to Learn and Grow
As we recognize Women’s History Month, it is an important moment to reflect on the policies and systems that enable women to participate fully in the workforce and in leadership. Access to affordable, reliable child care is one of the most critical and often overlooked of those systems.
Access to affordable, reliable child care has become a critical constraint on Marin County’s workforce and economic stability at a time when the region is already facing population decline, persistent labor shortages, and increasing challenges around affordability. For many families, the cost of living combined with the high cost of child care makes it difficult to remain in Marin or participate fully in the workforce.
As reported by the County’s Early Learning Road Map, today the child care system is operating under significant strain. The average cost of infant care in Marin is nearly $28,000 per year, 38% increase since 2018 and 24% higher than the California statewide average, often exceeding housing costs while limited availability and long waitlists prevent many working families from accessing licensed care at all.
At the same time, the early care and education workforce is under pressure. Low wages and high turnover are reducing the availability of care, particularly for infant and toddler care, where options are especially limited. These challenges disproportionately impact women, especially women of color who make up a significant portion of the workforce but often earn wages that make it difficult to live in the communities they serve. Currently, only about half of Marin families can access licensed programs, and hundreds of income-qualified families remain on waitlists due to insufficient funding.
The result is a growing gap between workforce needs and child care access affecting employee retention, limiting labor force participation, and putting additional pressure on employers already struggling to attract and retain talent.
Recent federal proposals, including the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” further underscore the urgency of this issue. While Marin County’s analysis focuses broadly on impacts to health and human services funding, the implications for child care are clear: reductions in federal support and increased eligibility barriers are expected to place additional strain on an already limited system. For Marin, where hundreds of families already sit on waitlists for subsidized care and providers operate on thin margins, any disruption in funding will further reduce access and workforce participation.
The Our Kids, Our Future initiative is a locally controlled strategy designed to address these challenges at scale. The measure would generate approximately $12.5 million annually, with all funds retained and invested within Marin County to expand access to high-quality child care and early learning.
The initiative focuses on three core areas:
Affordability: Offer income-based scholarships and programs to make care more accessible across the County.
Strengthen the workforce: Improve compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities for childcare providers and educators.
Invest in Facilities: Build, maintain, and expand early education spaces to increase overall capacity. This includes supporting providers to open, grow, and sustain home-based programs that are flexible and responsive to family needs.
These targeted investments are designed not only to improve access and reduce barriers to employment, but also to strengthen Marin’s long-term economic outlook. This is a direct investment in the region’s future workforce. Research consistently shows that children who have access to high-quality early care and education experience better health outcomes, stronger educational attainment, and improved lifetime economic outcomes. Currently, only about one-third of Marin children enter kindergarten fully prepared, underscoring the opportunity to improve outcomes through early investment.
For employers and business leaders, this initiative represents a strategic investment in workforce stability, affordability, and regional economic resiliency. When employees cannot access reliable child care or cannot afford to live in the communities where they work businesses experience higher turnover, increased absenteeism, and a shrinking talent pool. Expanding access to child care is not only a family support strategy, it is a workforce and economic strategy that strengthens productivity, supports retention, and ensures Marin remains a competitive place to live, work, and do business.
Learn More by Visiting the website Our Kids Our Future Here.
Leaders of the North Bay Awards Luncheon, April 24th, Jonas Center, College of Marin, Novato:
Don’t miss out! Join us and help us celebrate the Leaders of the North Bay at an Awards Luncheon on April 24th at Jonas Center, College of Marin Indian Valley Campus, Novato. Come network with elected officials, and business and civic leaders of the North Bay and recognize the 2026 outstanding leaders in our community. Tickets can be found here. Please visit www.northbayleadership.org for more information.
Date: Friday, April 24th
Time: 11:30 am-1:00 pm
Location: Jonas Center, College of Marin Indian Valley Campus, 1800 Ignacio Blvd., Novato
Upcoming Events:
Business Edge Briefing, Leading Through Crisis: What Every Leader Must Do in the First 24 Hours
Join this Business Edge Breakfast Briefing to learn what leaders must do in the first 24 hours of a crisis to prevent chaos.
Crisis does not announce itself. It hits fast and demands everyone’s full attention. A legal dispute. An allegation. A media inquiry. A social media storm. A personnel issue. One moment everything feels stable and the next, your organization is in crisis
Date: Tuesday, April 14
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: Dominican University, 75 Magnolia Avenue, San Rafael
Welcome New Members:
North Bay Leadership Council is proud to welcome three new members: PEP Housing, 10,000 Degrees and Newmark.
North Bay Leadership Council provides a strong voice for leading employers to drive public policy in our region. Our membership consists of private businesses, public institutions, hospitals and members in the health care sector, government agencies, as well as nonprofits. They represent over 100,000 employees, across 27 different industry sectors. This diversity in membership brings the vision needed to our work to address complex issues and improve the community as a whole. The challenges we face require regional leadership, to work collaboratively in finding regional solutions.
PEP Housing: Please join us in welcoming PEP Housing as a new member of the North Bay Leadership Council, represented by CEO Jennifer Litwak. PEP Housing is a nonprofit affordable housing developer and owner dedicated to expanding access to high-quality, well-managed communities for individuals and families with limited incomes. The organization has developed, preserved, and manages 23 affordable housing properties totaling 1,036 units throughout the North Bay and Los Angeles, leveraging public-private partnerships to deliver long-term housing stability and regional economic resilience.
10,000 Degrees: Please join us in welcoming 10,000 Degrees as a new member of the North Bay Leadership Council, represented by President and CEO Kim Mazzuca. Since its founding in 1981, 10,000 Degrees has grown from a small scholarship program serving Marin students into California’s leading equity-focused college success organization, now supporting more than 16,000 students and families each year. Driven by a mission to achieve educational equity, the organization provides scholarships, financial aid support, and comprehensive guidance to help students from low-income backgrounds succeed in college and beyond demonstrated by $9.6 million in scholarships awarded and a remarkable 90% of students graduating debt-free in 2025. Under Kim’s long-standing leadership, 10,000 Degrees continues to expand its reach and impact, bringing invaluable perspective and commitment to advancing opportunity, workforce development, and economic mobility to NBLC’s work.
Newmark: Please join us in welcoming Newmark, as a member of the North Bay Leadership Council, represented by Senior Managing Director Tom Poser. Founded in 1929, Newmark has grown into a leading global commercial real estate advisory firm, serving institutional investors, major corporations, and property owners with a full suite of integrated services driven by data, analytics, and deep market expertise. With a rapidly expanding international footprint and longstanding relationships with many of the world’s top companies, Newmark brings valuable insight into the evolving real estate landscape and its impact on economic growth. Tom, a Bay Area native, offers extensive experience advising clients on workplace strategy, leasing, and asset transactions across office, healthcare, and life sciences sectors bringing a strategic, on-the-ground perspective that will strengthen NBLC’s work on regional development, business climate, and the future of work.
Please join us in welcoming PEP Housing, 10,000 Degrees and Newmark to NBLC!
Members in the News
Bon Air’s Annual Community Fair Day
Join the Kentfield Greenbrae Historical Society (KGHS), Mollie Stone’s and Bon Air merchants in celebration of spring at the Bon Air Community Fair, Saturday, May 10th.
Exchange Bank Promotes Beth Ryan to Vice President Senior Retail Operations Manager
Exchange Bank (OTC: EXSR) is pleased to announce the promotion of Beth Ryan from Vice President, Community Engagement Officer to Vice President Senior Retail Operations Manager, reflecting her more than three decades of leadership, service, and deep commitment to the Bank’s employees, customers, and communities.
BioMarin Presents New Data on the Positive Impact of Early Treatment with VOXZOGO®
New results demonstrate early VOXZOGO treatment leads to durable and sustained improvements in skeletal growth-related health outcomes, including proportionality, arm span and body mass index, building on over 10,000 patient-years of data.
Hanson Bridgett Among World’s Leading Trademark Professionals in WTR 1000
Hanson Bridgett LLP has been recognized among the top firms and individual practitioners in the 2026 edition of World Trademark Review’s WTR 1000: the World’s Leading Trademark Professionals.
Recology Announcing the 2026 TRASH Program! June 15th to July 29th, 2026
The Recology Artstart Student Hub (TRASH) is an art program that offers a unique opportunity for student artists in Sonoma and Marin counties to expand their existing creative practice by working with materials that would have otherwise been sent to the landfill, creating an impactful body of work.