Governed by a 19-member Board of Directors, the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce holds monthly meetings to set policy and direction for the organization. A Chief Executive Officer oversees office operation, including full- and part-time staff. The Chamber makes referrals, acts as a resource for community information, provides informational pamphlets and brochures about starting a business, and offers marketing material to assist sales professionals.
The mission of the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce is to promote and support the economic wellbeing of its members and provide maximum business networking opportunities..
Mary Prem is an accomplished professional with a strong background in the nonprofit sector. In June 2023, she was appointed by the Board of Directors to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to her appointment as CEO, Mary founded and served as the executive director of the Housing Equality Law Project (HELP), a fair housing organization based in South San Francisco. At HELP, she led the organization in handling nearly 500 cases annually and successfully negotiated over $3 million in settlements on behalf of victims of discrimination.
Before establishing HELP, Mary worked as the Director of Fair Housing and Enforcement at Project Sentinel. In this role, she provided leadership and oversight to a team of investigators across five Bay Area counties, further contributing to the promotion of fair housing and enforcement of related regulations.
Mary's educational background includes a degree from San Jose State University and a Master's in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Mary enjoys traveling, cooking, and attending comedy shows. She values spending quality time with her family and her beloved rescue dog, Jerry.