Meet Rob
Rob Aiavao is a young father, fourth generation San Franciscan, and an AAPI community activist. He was raised in the Outer Sunset by parents whose lives were shaped by struggle, opportunity, and a deep belief in giving back. His father, a Navy veteran, grew up in public housing in Hunters Point and later served as a police officer. His mother, raised in Noe Valley by a single mom with three siblings, worked her way into a career in real estate. San Francisco gave them a path to stability and they raised Rob with the same belief that public service and strong communities could open doors for others too.
Rob attended Ulloa Elementary and spent much of his childhood in Chinatown, where his family still lives in the Ping Yuen housing complex. His grandmother served as president of the Ping Yuen Residents Association, which showed him firsthand the impact of local leadership and advocacy.
From the City, For the City
Fighting for a Government That Works
Since then, Rob has focused on making local government more responsive and accountable. He helped lead a citywide coalition that pressured the City to act on the fentanyl crisis by increasing funding and access to treatment and recovery programs, as well as increased public safety funding. He’s continued to advocate for housing, public safety, and public education, and partnered with leading academics to draft proposals to increase transparency and accountability in city government.
In 2025, Rob launched his own public affairs consultancy. His first client was the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, where he managed the city’s bid for the 2035 World Expo working with local, state, and federal officials on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase San Francisco on the global stage.
Rob’s path to public service began in college, when he worked at a nonprofit helping San Franciscans open and grow small businesses. Seeing how much their success depended on decisions coming out of City Hall led him to get involved in local government. He simultaneously interned in Mayor Ed Lee’s communications office and with the Board of Supervisors. He eventually went on to serve in Mayor London Breed’s office, managed supervisor and ballot measure campaigns, and worked alongside families organizing for public school accountability during the school reopening crisis.
Rob also stays active in the community. He has helped organize Ocean Beach cleanups, small business walking tours, and community events like the first Día de los Muertos celebration in the Sunset and the upcoming Sunset After Dark street fair. In 2023, he raised over $30,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Visionaries of the Year campaign.
Giving Back to Our Community
He currently serves on the boards of Dear Community, which supports San Francisco’s AAPI community; the Edwin M. Lee Democratic Club, which promotes civic engagement and leadership; and the San Francisco Ballet Young Patrons Circle, where he supports broader access to the arts.
Today, Rob lives in the Outer Sunset with his wife and their 3-year-old son. As a parent, he’s committed to helping San Francisco remain a place where working families can build a future and where the opportunities that shaped his own family are available to the next generation. He’s seen too many friends and loved ones pushed out by rising costs, and he’s working to protect affordability, expand opportunity, and make sure local government delivers real results for the people who live here.