Ellie Rossiter, a proven coalition builder with deep ties in the San Francisco community, serves as the interim vice chancellor of Community and Government Relations at UCSF. Prior to her appointment, Rossiter served as executive director of UCSF’s community relations and strategic partnerships, working in close collaboration with other campus units to identify, implement, and direct programs that strengthen UCSF’s relationships with the San Francisco community. Rossiter has utilized her passion for intentionally linking large institutions, the decisions they make, and the communities that are impacted by those decisions, to build upon UCSF’s commitment to strengthening the health and the economic and cultural vitality of neighboring communities in San Francisco and Oakland through strong, lasting relationships.

Before joining UCSF, Rossiter served for ten years as the director of the Partnership for HOPE SF with the San Francisco Foundation, a public-private partnership with the mayor’s office to transform isolated and distressed public housing units into thriving mixed income communities without mass displacement. HOPE SF is replacing 1,900 public housing units one-for-one and adding low-income and market rate units, ultimately achieving 5,300 new homes. At the time of her departure, the project had constructed more than 900 affordable homes. Under Rossiter’s leadership, the Partnership raised almost $25 million; designed, piloted, and launched new strategies to improve health, education, and economic mobility; and ensured that HOPE SF remained a top priority across multiple mayoral administrations. Rossiter took the initiative from start-up to impact by partnering closely with city agencies, real estate developers, and residents of the community, firmly establishing the initiative as a national model.

A collaborator and convener by trade, Rossiter also spent five years as a member of UCSF’s Community Engagement Council from 2016 to 2021, where she not only became acquainted with many aspects of UCSF, but also worked directly with the Anchor Institution Initiative, an important strategy aligned with UCSF’s vision to achieve health equity.

In her new role, Rossiter will facilitate the University’s interactions with local, state, and federal governments, as well as its relationship with the business community, neighboring communities, and various other stakeholder entities, including oversight of the Center for Community Engagement and the Anchor Institution Initiative.