Contacts: Amon Rappaport 415-257-2490
Shailushi Ritchie 415-257-2488

October 6, 2006

Veteran Advocate New Leader of Marin Institute

Bruce Lee Livingston to Take on the Alcohol Industry

SAN RAFAEL, CA—Veteran advocate Bruce Lee Livingston has started as the new Executive Director of Marin Institute, an alcohol industry watchdog that is one of three projects funded by the Buck Trust. Using extensive experience taking on powerful corporate interests, Livingston will act as a thorn in the side of Big Booze and advance Marin Institute's mission of protecting the public's health from the alcohol industry's negative influence.

Livingston brings to this role a record of success working for access to health care, clean air and water, and affordable housing. "We searched for an action-oriented risk-taker," said James Loyce, Jr., President of the Board of Marin Institute. "We get that kind of leader in Bruce Livingston." After a rigorous national search, the Board selected Livingston based largely on his 25 years in nonprofit advocacy, 10 as an Executive Director.

Livingston has worked on local, state and national policy and organized grassroots campaigns on a wide range of issues, from saving California wetlands to preventing the privatization of Medicare. "I can't think of a more worthy cause than to protect kids and other vulnerable populations from the international alcohol bullies," said Livingston. "I'm excited to join Marin Institute's staff, board and community partners in exposing how the top alcohol corporations manipulate our media, our government and our lives."

Livingston comes to the Marin Institute after six years as Executive Director of San Francisco's Senior Action Network. In the early nineties, Livingston was the California State Director of Clean Water Action. From 1995 to 1999 he was Executive Director of Health Access California, leading the statewide campaign that resulted in 22 bills in the HMO Patient Bill of Rights being passed and signed. More recently he also helped create San Francisco's new Health Access Program and helped create the statewide OURx Campaign, which takes on Big Pharma.

Livingston's experience in media advocacy and in organizing state and national coalitions will enhance Marin Institute's efforts to shift public opinion about the alcohol industry. Telling the truth about the impact and motives of the alcohol industry will be one of Livingston's chief duties. "We'll change public opinion about Big Booze the way I've done it with other corporations," said Livingston, "through sustained, media-savvy, multi-level campaigns."

Livingston earned a Master of Public Policy from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Graduate School of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley.

The Marin Institute is an alcohol industry watchdog based in San Rafael, CA. www.MarinInstitute.org

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