Saied’s Bio

Dear Oaklanders, I am seeking to be Oakland’s next mayor to serve my community in the best way that I can.

My campaign is grounded in presenting a set of sensible solutions, backed by a proven track record of accomplishments, and underpinned by my unwavering principles.

My civic activities include serving on the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission and the President of Jack London Business Improvement District. In addition, I have been active in various progressive causes, such as Police Accountability, Fight for 15, Stop Urban Shield, Renter Protection, Public Bank, and No Coal in Oakland.

By way of background, I was born in Iran and immigrated to the US in 1978. I am blessed with a wife who is not only my best friend, but also my soul mate, and my most ardent advocate. I rely on her insightful advice and caring love in every aspect of my life. We have two adult children whom we cherish dearly. As any parent can attest, the challenge of surrendering control to children as they mature and live their own personal journeys is only surpassed by the joy of seeing them flourish in ways that exceed the parents’ most aspirational dreams. There is no greater joy in life.

Frankly, I have had the good fortune of experiencing the American Dream firsthand. After attending high school in Virginia and Pennsylvania, I studied Computer Science at Penn State University. Years later, I obtained my Masters degrees in Business Administration and Information Sciences. As a senior executive at a technology consulting firm and a software company, I was responsible for directing large multi-national initiatives in Fortune 100 companies in highly complex, demanding, and time-sensitive situations. Currently, my primary occupation is operating a start-up skincare company that my wife, Vida, and I founded in 2011. Our business has grown steadily as our products are sold around the world from our facility in West Oakland. We are committed to Oakland and treasure its diversity, energy, and beauty.

I am certain that the problem-solving, consensus-building, and solution-delivery skills that I have gained over the years will enable me to work effectively in ensuring that my promises are fulfilled in a thoughtful, disciplined and measurable manner so that every Oaklander can assess my performance objectively and accurately.