In one of her most impactful moves since entering office, Mayor Barbara Lee appointed this week two new people to the board that oversees the Port of Oakland and reappointed a third person.
The Port of Oakland, called the “economic engine of the region” by officials at a meeting Thursday, operates a massive shipping container enterprise and owns significant real estate along the waterfront. It also oversees the airport. Its seven commissioners have considerable influence over economic development in the city.
Lee reappointed Barbara Leslie, CEO of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce. She also appointed Alvina Wong, a director at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, and Derrick Muhammad, a maritime lawyer and former International Longshore & Warehouse Union leader…