Who We Are
Viridian is a strategic partner across public, private, and emerging technology sectors. We connect communities with developers, businesses, and government to shape shared opportunity. Our work delivers actionable strategies that turn vision into implementation.
Meet Yvonna
Founder & CEO
With two decades of experience in public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and social impact, Yvonna has worked across government, nonprofit, and tech sectors to bridge diverse stakeholders. She has collaborated with over 300 business, government, and community leaders on policy innovation, AI governance, and public-private partnerships. She also created the Mirrored Engagement™ model as a structured approach to trust-building and equitable public participation, rooted in over two decades of cross-sector stakeholder management work.
As a Governor’s Office appointee and Deputy Director at CalEPA, Yvonna led communications, environmental justice, public engagement, and tribal affairs, overseeing a team of 54 FTE and managing over $10.2M in regulatory programs. She played a key role in the $500M Clean Up in Vulnerable Communities Initiative (CVCI), influencing funding decisions through policy recommendations and multi-stakeholder engagement. Yvonna spearheaded efforts to modernize public engagement through digital tools, which contributed to a 40% reduction in community engagement costs. She worked closely with state regulators, businesses, and community leaders to align policy objectives with economic and environmental regulatory and legislative priorities.
At the City of Oakland, as Director of Community Engagement in the Mayor’s Office, she developed and led inclusive engagement strategies that shaped citywide policies and programs. Additionally, she led several cross-sector efforts, partnering with philanthropic organizations, corporate social responsibility teams, and local businesses to secure and direct over $50M in funding for education, social impact initiatives, housing, and business recovery grants. During the pandemic, she coordinated and directed 34 City of Oakland staff and Disaster Service Workers, ensuring their work aligned with her community outreach efforts that mobilized 535+ community volunteers. This large-scale response connected 20,000+ low-income seniors and families with essential resources, strengthening government efficiency and responsiveness during a crisis. She also managed a team of 15+ staff and fellows, implementing citywide engagement strategies that built public trust and supported inclusive policy initiatives.
Yvonna is a recognized speaker and trainer in digital transformation, AI governance, and public engagement strategies. She has lectured at Code for America, ELGL, and MMANC, sharing insights on responsible AI, civic technology, and modernizing government engagement through digital tools. To date, she has trained over 645 public servants and health care staff across North America, helping them navigate digital innovation, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory adaptation in an AI-driven world.
With experience spanning state, local, and nonprofit sectors, Yvonna has advised on policy and public-private partnerships at California Volunteers (Governor’s Office) and beyond. Her expertise in responsible AI, governance, and digital transformation makes her a trusted voice in bridging technology, policy, and stakeholder trust.
Meet Irene
Managing Partner
Irene is an accomplished senior executive in global corporate real estate and enterprise operations, bringing over 20 years of experience leading large-scale teams, capital programs, and strategic transformation initiatives. Her expertise spans enterprise facilities management, vendor oversight, and executive-level risk and performance management. She has overseen billion-dollar portfolios, directed high-impact workplace strategies, and guided global teams through periods of growth, transition, and organizational change.
Her career includes leadership roles at JLL, most recently as a Global Account Executive responsible for a 100M sq. ft. global campus footprint, as well as executive roles at Sodexo, and Bank of America. Irene is recognized for her ability to unite people, processes, and long-range strategy, ensuring that operations remain resilient and aligned with organizational values. She has served on multiple boards, including the IFMA Foundation. In addition to her advisory role, Irene teaches college-level courses to students across the country each week, expanding the future talent pipeline in corporate real estate and the built environment.
Her approach reflects her personal philosophy: success is defined not only by outcomes, but by integrity, stewardship, and the ability to elevate the people around us. The teachings from How Will You Measure Your Life reinforced her belief that true success is measured not by title or compensation, but by the lives we touch and the integrity with which we lead.She is committed to building systems that last, which means teams, cultures, and strategies designed for long-term impact.
At Viridian Management Group, Irene provides strategic leadership across our construction, real estate, and infrastructure portfolios. She advises on the planning and delivery of capital projects, including AI data centers and mission-critical facilities, and helps clients build operational systems that are resilient, efficient, and future-ready.
How We Work
Viridian is intentionally boutique and founder-led.
We scale through partnership ecosystems, not staff expansions.
Our adaptive team model brings the right specialists to the table only when they’re needed , ensuring projects are lean and strategic.
We believe this networked approach allows us to remain high-touch, nimble, and aligned with the values of the communities we serve.
Join Our Talent Network
Viridian is always looking to connect with talented professionals who share our commitment to thoughtful, community‑centered work, clear communication, strong follow‑through, and attention to detail.
We offer flexible remote and hybrid project opportunities with weekly pay; to be considered for future full-time, part‑time, or project‑based roles, send your resume, hourly rate, and availability to info@viridianmg.com.
Areas we often collaborate on: digital storytelling, data entry, business development, fund development, writing and editing services, community engagement, communications, language translation and interpretation, media relations, ADA planning, community development, environmental science and engineering projects, accounting, HR, and marketing.
