Meet Sam

Sam T. Liccardo's Profile

Councilmember Sam Liccardo represents San Jose’s downtown district, District Three, on the San Jose City Council. Prior to winning election to City Council in November of 2006, Sam served as a prosecutor of sexual assault and child exploitation crimes in the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor, and at private law firms. Sam’s previous work in the community included tutoring homeless children, serving on the boards of several affordable housing organizations, and advocating for a successful countywide transit ballot measure in 2000.

After graduating from Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, Sam attended Georgetown University. He enjoyed his four years studying government and economics, and his intercollegiate athletic career culminated in a senior year as captain of Georgetown’s best heavyweight crew in decades. Sam graduated magna cum laude in 1991, and two years later, he enrolled at Harvard Law School and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. After graduating with a law degree and a master’s degree in public policy, Sam returned to the Bay Area in 1996.

In his role on the San Jose City Council, Sam advocates for the downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. Sam’s family goes back four generations in the downtown neighborhoods, where he lives and works. His priorities have focused on neighborhood empowerment, environmental stewardship, accelerating downtown’s economic development, improving the valley’s transit system, reducing homelessness, and expanding health services in the wake of the closing of the San Jose Medical Center.

In addition to his role on the Council’s committees responsible for Transportation & Environment and Community & Economic Development, Sam also serves on several regional boards, including the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the Association of Bay Area Governments, and the Santa Clara County Cities Association.

Sam's serves on the following committees:

• Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan Update Task Force (Co-Chair)
• Transportation and Environment* (Vice-Chair)
• Community and Economic Development* (Member)
• Association of Bay Area Government (Executive Board member)
• Downtown Working Group (Member)
• Santa Clara County Cities Association (Board member)
• Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (Board member)
• Valley Transit Authority Policy Advisory Board for Downtown/East Valley Corridor (Member)
• Downtown Parking Board (Liaison)