Behind the Numbers: An Evening with SF City Controller and Chief Economist

Come join us for a conversation with the City Controller and Chief Economist of San Francisco! We'll dive deep into the data, learn about the economic trends shaping our city, and talk about how our budget and economic impact reports come together! Whether you're a numbers nerd or just curious about how things work behind the scenes, they're ready to answer all your questions.

City Controller, Greg Wagner

In February 2024, Greg Wagner was sworn in for a 10-year term as the Controller for the City and County of San Francisco. Greg succeeded Ben Rosenfield, who served as Controller for 16 years.

Greg began his career with the City in the Mayor’s Budget Office from 2006 to 2011, serving as Mayor’s Budget Director under Mayors Gavin Newsom and Ed Lee. As the Mayor’s Budget Director, Greg led the development and approval of the City’s annual balanced budget through the financially challenging years following the Great Recession.

Prior to becoming Controller, Greg served the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFPDH) as Chief Financial Officer where he managed a multibillion-dollar budget, and then as Chief Operating Officer of SFDPH where he oversaw the finances and administrative operations of the City’s largest department, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), Laguna Honda Hospital, and a citywide network of primary care, mental health, and substance use programs. As both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of SFDPH, Greg was crucial in the financial management of key public health and citywide priorities over the last decade, including San Francisco’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was fundamental in managing the capital program to rebuild ZSFG and multiple outpatient service sites, the implementation of Mental Health SF, and the City’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Now, as the City's chief financial officer and auditor, Controller Wagner, with the support of his team, is responsible for governance and conduct of key aspects of the City's financial operations, including processing payroll for all City employees, managing the City's bonds and debt portfolio, and processing and monitoring the City's budget. His office is also responsible for providing policy and economic analyses, estimating the cost of ballot measures, administering the City’s Whistleblower Program, and directing performance and financial audits of City activities.

Greg earned his Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.

Chief Economist, Ted Egan

Dr. Ted Egan is the Chief Economist of the City and County of San Francisco, and directs the Office of Economic Analysis in the City Controller’s Office. The office prepares independent economic analysis of major new city legislation.

Since he joined in 2007, his office has published over 100 economic impact reports on policy issues like the minimum wage, affordable housing, business taxes, land use planning, sporting events, and short-term rentals. During this time at the City, he has served as an expert witness on the economics of same-sex marriage, and won a Good Government award for his work redesigning the City’s business tax. He currently serves on the Data Users Advisory Committee of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Before joining the City, he spent ten years working for ICF International, managing economic development strategy projects across North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. He received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, and lectured in the Economics and City Planning departments at Berkeley for more than ten years.

Manny's never turns away anyone for lack of funds. To receive a complementary ticket just email the word "grapefruit" and the title of this event to [email protected].

Want to support community members? By purchasing a "Pay It Forward" ticket you will allow us to provide free tickets to those who may not be able to afford entry otherwise and ensure we can create a diverse socio-economic audience that represents San Francisco.

Host or Publisher Manny's