The CLASS Executive Committee is comprised of residents from the Alameda community. Their mission is to work with the Oakland Port Authority and the Oakland airport to minimize noise pollution in the community.
Jon Hamilton
Chairperson
Long time resident of Bay Isle Point for 30 years and after retirement volunteered for the CHBI BIP board and architectural committees and for Alameda Meals on Wheels. Worked as a mechanical engineer in both the aerospace and semiconductor industries, during which time he served in a systems engineering role designing various X-ray and optical instruments. He spends his free time enjoying hiking, sailing, bicycling, and woodworking.
Jon holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of California Irvine and a Masters in Economics from San Jose State University.
Matt Pourfarzaneh, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Secretary
Matt Pourfarzaneh is Chief Executive Officer of ADMEcell, Inc., a privately held life science company based in Alameda, CA. The company is engaged in manufacturing, licensing and distribution of cell-based assay kits and related agents for the ADME/Tox (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) markets in North America.
Matt holds a degree in in organic chemistry and Ph.D. in Chemical Pathology from University of London, U.K.
ED Downing
Vice President
Ed Downing is a veteran pilot with vast experience flying both military and civilian aircraft. He flew F-4’s and F-14’s during the Vietnam war and he also served in the Navy as a pilot and later as the Commanding officer of a Navy fighter squadron. When he retired as a Captain from the Navy, he had over 200 combat missions in Vietnam and 600 carrier landings. He joined Southwest Airlines serving as a Captain for 25 years and became the Chief Pilot prior to his retirement from the company.
Carrolyn Kubota
Treasurer
Carrolyn has lived in Alameda for over sixteen years and has been on the CLASS board for over six years. She began as a representative for the Ballena Bay Townhouse Association, and became treasurer in 2014. She is also a volunteer at the Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter exercising and socializing animals.
Carrolyn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Economics.
Tianxi Zheng
Executive Member
Tianxi Zheng is Senior Bank Examiner at California Division of Financial Institutions. As a regulator, he provides supervision and conduct Safety and Soundness exams to community and regional banks licensed by California State.
Tianxi holds a Master of Business Administration(MBA) degree from University of Kansas, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics. He’s a Chartered Financial Analyst(CFA).
Barbara Tuleja
Executive Member Emeritus
Barbara has actively been involved in monitoring airport activities from 1986 to the early 1990’s as part of the Harbor Bay Airport Committee and is one of the founding members of CLASS. She has remained active in the group since it was established in 1992. Barbara has been attending the North Field Working group since its inception in the early 90s. She has extensive knowledge of airport operations and culture as well as invaluable historical/institutional memory about the Port’s management of the airport over the past 25 years
Carmen J. Borg, AICP
CLASS Executive Director
Carmen Borg is employed with Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP as an urban planner. She has extensive experience preparing, reviewing and critiquing environmental impact reports and other CEQA documents; managing technical consultants; and preparing comment letters for consideration by public officials.
Carmen has a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Osa L. Wolff
CLASS attorney
Osa is a partner with Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP. Ms. Wolff’s practice areas include municipal law, state and federal environmental law, administrative law and state planning/zoning law.
Ms. Wolff earned her J.D. and an environmental law specialization certificate from University of California Berkeley (Boalt Hall) School of Law in 1997. Ms. Wolff received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University.
Past Executive Members
Ronald “Ron” Lappa
May 5, 1954 – December 5, 2011
Ewart “Red” Wetherill
March 17, 1928 – November 14, 2015
Dave Needle
December 17, 1947- February 20, 2016