FEBs talk back to Washington: San Francisco
Francine Roby is the executive director of the San Francisco Federal Executive Board.
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San Francisco
Francine Roby
San Francisco FEB Executive Director
What’s the best part of working in your FEB area?
Diversity: of geography, people, and cultures.
What is the biggest drawback of working in your FEB area?
High cost of housing.
What’s the one piece of advice you would give a fed moving to your area?
Take your time to get to know the various areas before you settle in.
In a word, describe feds in your area.
Dedicated.
How are feds perceived in your area and how does that affect morale?
Feds contribute much to their local communities and enjoy good regard here. Negative perceptions reported by national media about the “public sector” or “bureaucrats” can seem like they’re talking about someone else.
What’s the average commute for feds in your FEB area, or your personal commute?
Personally, I can walk to work in 25 minutes or hop a bus or train for a 10 minute ride. Most feds use public transportation (rail, bus, car or vanpool) and keep their commute to an hour or less, but some have had to move farther for affordable housing and endure commutes up to two hours each way.
Is the distance from D.C. a blessing or a curse?
I think most would say it’s a blessing, providing some independence. Traveling back for meetings is the curse! There are also D.C.-led conference calls at pre-dawn hours or at lunch time, and missed opportunities to be involved in discussions or decisions which affect us.
What’s your area’s can’t miss attraction?
The new San Francisco Federal Building!
Check out more from the series “Talk Back to Washington.”
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