Susan Gard works closely with department heads, the mayor’s office, unions and others to create policy on a myriad of workplace concerns. She analyzes the impacts of federal, state and local legislation; conducts investigations; markets human resource programs; and ensures that the department’s policies, vision and goals are effectively communicated. Prior to her current appointment, Gard served the California Workers Compensation Division (WCD) for 22 years as acting operations manager, process improvement and automation manager, chief of legislation and policy, and public information officer. She is the co-founder of Homeless CarePacks, a grassroots organization that has provided care packages to the homeless population in San Francisco and Oakland, California every year since 2004.