Marin advocate for disabled gets San Francisco post

Eli Gelardin, the longtime head of the Marin Center for Independent Living, has accepted an offer to lead the Mayor’s Office on Disability in San Francisco.

Gelardin, a longtime Marin disability rights advocate who led the center for 17 years, is set to start the new job on Jan. 6.

“It’s been an honor to work with a community that celebrates disabled joy and values lived experience,” Gelardin said. “Our collective efforts have always been about more than services — they’re about building a world where disabled lives are truly valued.”

Susan Malardino, the organization’s deputy director, will run it during the search for Gelardin’s replacement. The San Rafael organization offers social services and other resources to people with disabilities in Marin.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed and City Administrator Carmen Chu announced Gelardin’s appointment on Dec. 18.

“We must continue to advocate for and protect our most vulnerable populations, and under Eli’s leadership the office will continue to work to ensure people with disabilities of all ages can live healthy, empowered lives in San Francisco,” Breed said.

Gelardin will oversee Americans with Disabilities Act implementation in city departments and programs. The position also provides guidance to the mayor’s office, the Board of Supervisors and other city departments on issues related to disabled people.

The Office on Disability staffs the Disability Council, which provides a public forum for policy.

“I look forward to working with him on our city’s efforts to make every service, program and space accessible to people with disabilities,” Chu said.

Gelardin has achondropolasia, a form of dwarfism. He was born in Boston and moved to Ross with his family when he was 7.

Gelardin graduated from Redwood High School in 1997 and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California at Berkeley in 2002.

He joined the Marin Center for Independent Living in 2003 and became executive director in 2008.

In August, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Gelardin to serve on the California State Rehabilitation Council. It advises the California Department of Rehabilitation on employment and independent living programs for people with disabilities.

Gelardin’s work as head of the Marin Center for Independent Living has been lauded.

Lee Uniacke, a member of the board, said, “Eli’s made sure that our community has a seat at the table in every state and regional coalition of consequence. He’s a natural leader who people enjoy working with.”

The center was founded by a group of volunteers in 1979 and established as a nonprofit organization in 1980. It is the leading disability rights organization in Marin and has an annual budget of about $2.1 million.