Among the new upper crust Trump allies replacing the previous members of the Presidio Trust’s Board are Trevor Traina, tech entrepreneur and son of SF socialite Dede Wilsey, and Lynne Benioff, who previously served on the board for a decade.
As SFist previously reported, President Donald Trump fired all of the previous, Biden-appointed board of directors for the Presidio Trust last month after making threats to do so soon after his re-election. Many believed the firings were aimed at Pelosi, who helped establish the Trust.
Among the most well-known members of the new board are prominent tech elites, Lynne Benioff and Trevor Traina, as the Chronicle reports.
Lynne Benioff, along with her husband, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, is a longtime philanthropist who’s spearheaded big projects in San Francisco, including the Presidio Tunnel Tops campaign, as well as research on topics like health and homelessness, as previously reported.
Benioff was also on the Trust’s board from 2015 to 2025 when she was chair for two years. After the firings were announced last month, Benioff spoke in support of the outgoing board, highlighting its track record in attracting private investment, per SFist.
“Put simply, donors trust the Trust,” Benioff said. “Its reputation as a well-run organization means people are willing to put their own dollars into projects to make the park even more successful.”
As previously reported, Marc Benioff was a longtime Democrat until switching sides last year to support Trump along with several of his fellow tech billionaires.
“I’m honored to once again serve one of the greatest national park sites in America and so appreciative for the opportunity,” Benioff said in a statement this week, per the Chronicle. “The Presidio Trust is an incredibly well-run organization that brings in support from the private sector to support its public mission.”
Traina, who’s a fourth generation San Franciscan, heir to several fortunes, and the son of SF grande dame Dede Wilsey, served as ambassador to Austria during Trump’s first term. He’s also reportedly co-founded several startups — including that World Networks orb interface thing, co-founded by Sam Altman, that opened a storefront on Union Square last year.
“I’m delighted to have been asked to serve on the board of this unique and special place,” Traina said in a statement. “As a 4th-generation San Franciscan with a deep connection to the park, I look forward to carrying on the Presidio’s important mission begun by so many passionate champions."
According to the Chronicle, Trump’s other appointees to the board include James Burnham, top attorney for Elon Musk’s X, xAI and DOGE; real estate investor John Bickford; Silicon Valley philanthropist Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, wife of Trump ally Marc Andreessen; and Marine veteran Kyle Corcoran, CFO of Redpanda Marine.
Previously: Trump Fires Presidio Board of Trustees Following Last Year’s Executive Order
Image: (left) Lynne Benioff attends the 2022 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage); (right) Trevor Traina attends the 12th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at Barker Hangar on April 18, 2026 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
