Publisher - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...

The Spectrum . Redwood City's Monthly Magazine
Inside The Spectrum:
Our cover photo shoot
Ira seems very relaxed with himself and makes those around him feel the same. He was
incredibly accommodating to us and had our stylist Damaris Divito not been interviewing
for a “real” job, she would have had him doing all sorts of things to capture
sides of him we don’t normally see. But as you will see in some of the center spread
photos he was loose and having some fun with us as the Fourth of July celebration
nears.
We started out shooting in his office, which has a great view and overlooks a business
park. Gist suggested going outside because the lighting was so magnificent with the
clouds overhead threatening rain. She was right, and that is where the cover photo was
taken.
The entire shoot lasted about thirty minutes, quick by any standards, but Harris had to
interview Ira afterwards and had only an hour to do so because of meetings and other
commitments that a businessman/mayor has to do.
Spectrum photographer Sarah G. Gist and cover subject Redwood City Mayor Jeff Ira.
Photo by Steve Penna
What better way to begin the summer then by being introduced to our Mayor, Jeff Ira.
When Publisher Steve Penna arranged this month’s photo shoot for Thursday June 16
at 10:00 a.m., he did so after returning from a trip down south and called Ira at home
to see if he could meet the next day. Thankfully, he could.
One of the Spectrum’s special assignment photographers, Sara G. Gist, arrived for her
first Spectrum photo shoot shortly after Penna did. They were quickly joined by writer
Valerie Harris at Ira’s business office in the Redwood Shores neighborhood.
When Jeff Ira was first elected to the Redwood City Council, he was seen as someone
who was willing to take on the status quo with fellow members Matt Leipzig and
Colleen Jordan. As we have watched him evolve over the years, his politics have
become more middle of the road, and he now is rarely on the losing end of a four to
three council vote.
As you will read in our cover story, Ira has overcome several personal tragedies in his
life and professes that they have made him the person he is today. They say “tragedies
that do not break us will make us stronger.” Thankfully for Redwood City, our Mayor
has done just that.
Although quiet in his demeanor, Ira will stand firmly on issues he believes will improve
the quality of his constituents’ lives. He is focused, dedicated and above all that, honorable
in his desire to do so.