Full Name
Brent Blackaby
Job Title
Councilmember
Company
City of Berkeley
Speaker Bio
A Berkeley civic leader, small business owner, and pioneer of progressive digital politics, Brent Blackaby was elected to the Berkeley City Council in 2024 to take action on the city's most pressing challenges – including wildfire safety, crime & public safety, streets & transportation, affordable housing, and homelessness. Brent brings a fresh perspective -- informed by years of practical problem-solving experience, relationship building, and a can-do attitude -- to get things done for the people of Berkeley. Brent and his partner, Larry Huynh, have lived in Berkeley for the past 20 years. Their two children attend their local public school, Cragmont Elementary, where Brent chaired the School Site Council. He co-founded Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS), an organization working to improve campus security at every Berkeley school, and was appointed by the Superintendent to serve on the Berkeley School District’s safety committee. Brent also served on the Berkeley Police Accountability Board, where he provided citizen oversight of the Berkeley Police Department. Brent has co-founded two Berkeley businesses, including Trilogy Interactive -- a pioneering digital communications company that has helped elect dozens of progressive leaders to the U.S. Senate and House, including Senators Barbara Boxer and Elizabeth Warren, and fight for statewide ballot initiatives to defend marriage equality, improve our schools, and protect the environment. Brent also co-founded Confidently, a consumer privacy company that helped people take back control of their personal data across the internet. Brent spends his “free” time refereeing his kids’ soccer games and as an alumni interviewer for Berkeley-area high school seniors applying to Harvard.
Brent Blackaby