Chris Hunter
Chief of Staff
Chris has had a career as a journalist, a teacher and most recently as Chief of Staff for the late San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley throughout Horsley’s three terms in office.
Chris has also served as a Legislative Aide for Supervisor Mark Church, State Assemblymember Gene Mullin and US Representative Tom Lantos.
His college degrees include a BA from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and an MFA from the University of Virginia. He was the Editor and Publisher of the Pacifica Tribune until 2007.
Chris is honored to be working with Supervisor Lisa Gauthier and her team on a retired-active basis.
Contact Chris via email at chunter@smcgov.org or by phone at (650) 599-1021.
Vanessa Smith
Legislative Aide
Vanessa was born and raised in District 4 to Central American immigrant parents and is a proud first-generation college graduate. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish from San Diego State University and went on to complete her master’s degree in History at the University of Leeds. Before joining Supervisor Gauthier’s office, Vanessa worked as a program manager at East Palo Alto Community Alliance Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO), where she led community land trust initiatives and housing preservation projects. Her passion for social justice began earlier, as she contributed to the Public Defender’s Office in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Additionally, Vanessa served as a Program Fellow at Stanford Law School’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, where she visited detention centers to develop class action lawsuits, furthering her dedication to advocating for vulnerable communities.
Contact Vanessa via email at vsmith1@smcgov.org or by phone at 650-474-9480.
Connie Franco
Legislative Aide
With deep family roots in North Fair Oaks, Connie brings a strong sense of community, a resourceful approach, and unwavering dedication to public service in her work.
Before becoming a Legislative Aide for Supervisor Gauthier, Connie supported Supervisor Warren Slocum’s efforts to engage and uplift the community. Her professional background spans philanthropy, technology, and biotechnology, with roles at the Skoll Foundation and Guardant Health.
Connie holds an MBA from Sacramento State University and a BA in Sociology from San Francisco State University.
Contact Connie via email at cfperez@smcgov.org or by phone at 650-421-1144.