Clair Farley on December 2 stepped down from her position as Executive Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI), stating that she plans to focus on transgender issues at a national level, including trans inclusion in the media, business world, and more. She will bring tremendous skill and experience to these efforts, given her successful work here in San Francisco. During her time leading OTI, Farley made history as the only trans Department Head in San Francisco, helping to launch several critical initiatives with Mayor London Breed. The OTI is the first and only city government office in the country focused on advancing policies, programs, and equity initiatives for transgender, non-binary, LGBTQ communities across San Francisco.
Pau Crego, who served as Deputy Director and Director of Policy and Programs at OTI, is now leading the department while the city Administrators Office leads a search for a permanent long-term replacement.
“Clair Farley has been, and I know will continue to be, a fierce advocate for San Franciscans of all backgrounds and particularly for our transgender residents,” said Mayor Breed. “Her work has ensured that San Francisco remains at the forefront of expanding LGBTQ rights and policies. I want to thank Clair deeply for her dedication and her guidance. She will be missed dearly, but I know that she will continue to be a staunch advocate for those in need.”
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to work with Mayor Breed, local community organizations, and the incredible team at the OTI,” said Farley. “Although we still have much more work ahead, I am so proud to have been a part of this groundbreaking effort to advance policies, programs, and funding for the trans and LGBTQ community in San Francisco. I know Mayor Breed and the team remain committed to these efforts, and will assure that we are continuing to grow while being a model city for trans rights and equity around the world.”
“Clair is unwavering in her commitment to advance equity and having served as the City’s first Director of the OTI, she has created a model for the rest of the nation to follow,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “I am honored to have worked with her and I am proud of the foundation she has built from which we can continue to focus on the needs of our transgender communities.”
Farley has been at the forefront of advocating for programs and policies that uplift the transgender and LGBTQ communities. These efforts include launching a citywide Transgender Advisory Committee to move forward community priorities and advise OTI and the Mayor’s office. In 2020, the OTI launched “Our Trans Home SF,” the nation’s first trans housing and rental subsidy program for transgender adults. This year, Farley helped secure a historic $2 million investment to create the country’s first guaranteed income program for low-income transgender individuals.
“During her four years at the OTI, Clair Farley has been a fantastic advocate for trans and nonbinary San Franciscans,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “It has been a pleasure working with her on Our Trans Home SF, the expansion of the city’s SOGI data collection, and other efforts to support the LGBTQ+ community.”
“Since joining OTI in 2017, I have been fortunate to work with local trans leaders and the city on a number of initiatives focused on trans and LGBTQ+ equity,” said Crego, Acting Director of the OTI. “This has included opportunities to work across city departments in partnership with the Mayor’s Office spearheading San Francisco’s LGBTQ data collection initiatives, the city’s efforts to become a more inclusive work place for LGBTQ+ employees, and working alongside our Transgender Advisory Committee to advocate for services that meet our communities’ most pressing needs. I am honored to continue working towards greater self-determination, safety, and wellness for our trans and LGBTQ+ communities in San Francisco and beyond.”
Additionally, during her time as Executive Director, Farley:
Prior to serving as Executive Director for OTI, Farley worked for over a decade advancing economic development programs at the SF LGBT Community Center including employment, housing, small business, and financial empowerment services. Additionally, she has helped transform trans representation in media through sharing her own family’s story of overcoming adversity in several award-winning films. She was honored last June as one of the San Francisco Pride Community Grand Marshals.
About Pau Crego
Crego is a bicultural, queer, and trans immigrant, who has worked in trans communities for the past 16 years, both in San Francisco and in Spain, where he is originally from. His trans and queer advocacy work has spanned multiple areas, such as advocacy, direct services, technical assistance for community-based organizations, training/teaching, and policy advocacy and implementation.
His work in local community-based organizations included working at Larkin Street Youth Services and El/La Para TransLatinas; he has worked at the OTI since its founding in 2017.
Crego is also part-time faculty in the Health Education Department at City College of San Francisco, and a published author and translator in the fields of trans health, gender diversity, and public health. Crego holds a B.A. in Feminist Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.
Published on December 16, 2021
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