Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
Kristen Brown, MPA, serves as the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce, advocating for local businesses and fostering economic vitality since February 2025. With extensive experience in public sector leadership, Kristen has been a Public Sector Representative and Treasurer for the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County since June 2014, successfully shaping housing policy and overseeing a substantial budget. Previous roles include Vice President of Government Relations at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, where advocacy for federal funding was pivotal, as well as Mayor and City Councilmember for the City of Capitola, where significant initiatives for children’s programs and economic recovery during the pandemic were implemented. Kristen's earlier experience as a Congressional Aide in the U.S. House of Representatives involved resolving constituent issues and enhancing community engagement. Academically, Kristen holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge, and a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies from California State University, Monterey Bay.
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Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce has been a voice for businesses and our community since 1889. As a non-profit member organization, our mission is to promote economic vitality and prosperity, ensure a high quality of life, ensure fairness and efficiency in community decision-making, and promote efficient and sustainable business practices. Our Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce is an independent entity not affiliated with the U.S. Chamber. This independence allows us to focus solely on the needs and interests of our local community. We are a diverse community, with member organizations ranging from single-person, home-based businesses to large organizations of more than 200 people. We have members from every area of Santa Cruz County, from Davenport and Boulder Creek north of Santa Cruz County to Santa Cruz and Capitola on the coast to Freedom and Watsonville in the south county. We are a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization with a Board of members who volunteer without compensation. We are the seventh-largest business organization in northern California and are here to serve and support you.