What does it take to keep a world‑class city safe?

In this episode of I Left My Podcast in San Francisco, we sit down with Mary Ellen Carroll, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management — the woman overseeing 911 dispatch, large‑scale events, emergency operations, disaster planning, coordinated street response, and more.

Mary Ellen shares how her love of surfing and the ocean connects to her leadership style, reflects on guiding the city through COVID, breaks down what DEM actually does, and offers practical tips every SF resident should know to prepare for earthquakes and unexpected emergencies.sf.gov/readysf

What does it take to keep San Francisco online, secure, and connected? CIO Michael Makstman shares his journey from a 15‑year‑old refugee learning English through Star Trek to leading the city’s technology. From free Wi‑Fi in Chinatown to modernizing fire stations and bringing AI to 30,000 city employees, this episode dives into the tech shaping SF’s future.

San Francisco has been a climate leader for decades — but how did we get here, and what comes next? In this episode of I Left My Podcast in San Francisco, we sit down with Tyrone Jue, Director of the SF Environment Department, to explore his journey from growing up in Chinatown to shaping the city’s bold climate future to celebrate Earth month.https://www.sfenvironment.org/

Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs for the SF Arts Commission, joins Franco Finn to talk art, community, leadership, and why you shouldn’t sleep on San Francisco. From his journey through the military and the Obama administration to shaping public art and equity in SF, Ralph shares powerful insights on culture, creativity, AI, and the city’s future.

From childhood kite‑flying at Ocean Beach to leading one of the most important offices in SF government, Joaquin shares what makes our city truly special: its people, its neighborhoods, and the stories we create together.

City Administrator Carmen Chu joins us in the first episode of “I Left My Podcast in San Francisco” to share her personal journey—from her family’s immigrant roots to leading one of the city’s most complex public service operations. We talk resilience, representation, food, neighborhoods, and what it really takes to keep San Francisco running.