Meet the Team

Alex Bastian, a San Francisco native, is the President and CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco. He leads San Francisco’s hospitality community and is a tireless advocate for the industry, a critical sector of the local economy that employs 25,000 people and generates hundreds of millions in annual tax revenue. He has been responsible for taking the organization in a different direction, forming strategic partnerships, and solving urgent issues that come up in the industry. He has created an unprecedented security committee that functions as a security umbrella for the community, achieving significant improvements in public safety results. He has led efforts nationally and locally to counteract the narrative about San Francisco and has led the public push to encourage investments in the city and the hospitality industry. He has spearheaded efforts around workforce investment within hospitality.

Prior to this position, he was a Special Advisor to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. Preceding that job, he was the Deputy Chief of Staff and an Assistant District Attorney for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for nearly twelve years.

Alex has been an active member of the State Bar of California for over fourteen years. He began his career in civil litigation before developing his skills as a highly reputed, esteemed, and successful prosecutor. Over the years, he has also been responsible for providing guidance and direction in the development of internal and external messages and media strategies. He supported the District Attorney in handling complex tasks and provided leadership in the development of policy and legal strategies. Alex spearheaded efforts to create the LADA’s first Public Data Portal, an unprecedented effort to enhance transparency by providing the public real-time office data and filing rates. In San Francisco, Alex served three administrations in various capacities, beginning as an Assistant District Attorney in the Criminal Division, and rising in the ranks to ultimately working as the Deputy Chief of Staff. Alex was hired as a prosecutor by then – San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris. Alex’s experience in policy, strategy, communications, and legal matters have assisted the District Attorneys with whom he has worked to advance public safety.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He speaks five languages, including: English, Spanish, French, Russian and Armenian (both dialects). He has been published, both locally and nationally, on topics discussing gentrification, human rights, history revision, and genocide. He has often appeared in local, national, and international media outlets, dealing with high profile matters.