Brion Economics collaborates with the following individuals or firms on a regular basis.
Economics and Policy Analysis
Richard Berkson
Berkson AssociatesRichard L. Berkson has more than 30 years’ experience evaluating the fiscal impacts of development proposals, and has prepared financial and fiscal analyses of numerous large-scale, mixed-use projects in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Recently, he managed and wrote the Fiscal Feasibility Report for major development proposals while principal at Economic and Planning Systems: Mission Rock, Warriors Multi-Purpose Venue and the Pier 70 Waterfront Site.
Peter Cheng
Applied Development Economics, Inc.ADE has provided economic planning and development services to public and private sector clients since 1985. ADE’s services include economic development, analysis and forecasting, planning, and funding. Mr. Cheng specializes in analyzing and explaining the broader economic effects of development projects and has collaborated with BEI on numerous projects including Facebook and Google studies.
Michelle Nilsson
Nilsson ConsultingMichelle Nilsson has worked on almost all of BEI’s studies as an associate over the last 15 years. She holds an MA from UCLA in urban planning and is based in Los Angeles.
Mark Walsh, CPA
Fiscal AnalystMark Walsh specializes in local government finance and communications. For Brion Economics, Inc., Mr. Walsh happily chases down technical information with the exuberance of a yellow lab fetching a soggy tennis ball. Previously he was director of finance for the County of Marin and director of information systems for the County of Sonoma. Mr. Walsh is a recognized expert in accounting and financial analytics, speaking on ratio analysis, technology budgeting, and excellence in management for the Government Finance Officers Association of the US and Canada.
Marian Wolfe, Ph.D.
Vernazza Wolfe Associates, Inc.Marian Wolfe has collaborated on many Brion Economics projects. Dr. Wolfe’s skills in applied economic analysis overlap with Ms. Brion’s in several areas, including analysis of the fiscal impacts of new developments, impact fee studies, and other studies related to development and planning. Dr. Wolfe also conducts housing market analyses for market rate and affordable housing development. In addition to consulting, Dr. Wolfe has also taught Urban Economics at UC Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin.
Francesca Wright
Davis Consultant NetworkFrancesca Wright brings expertise in both community systems and online survey design and analysis. She holds an MPA from University of Southern California and is based in Davis.
Legal and Land Use Entitlements
Tim Tosta
Arent FoxTimothy Tosta procures land use entitlements for some of the State’s most complex and controversial development proposals. He was named one of California’s Top Real Estate Lawyers in 2013, citing his work on the Facebook Headquarters Project in Menlo Park. Mr. Tosta offers a diversity of experience in product types, geography, regulatory agencies, environmental issues, and political cultures.