Josh Kirschenbaum, Director of Planning and Development of PolicyLink, was one of the original staff members; he led community building and technology projects for six years, and now brings a wealth of organizational knowledge to build diverse, multisector alliances and implement strategic initiatives. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Kirschenbaum was the director of special projects at the University of California, Berkeley Institute of Urban and Regional Development, where he managed a defense conversion research program and a community collaboration project that fostered partnerships between the university and the City of Oakland to strengthen and revitalize low-income neighborhoods. He holds a BA from Brown University and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of California, Berkeley.