Phil Trounstine

Philip J. Trounstine is co-publisher and co-editor of Calbuzz.com, one of the most popular web sites for California politics. He is also a pollster and communications consultant. He was founder and, until April 2008, director of the Survey and Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University which produced the quarterly California Consumer Confidence Survey.

He was a general assignment and statehouse reporter for the Indianapolis Star from 1975-78 and, for 20 years from 1978-98, a reporter, editorial writer and political editor for the San Jose Mercury New, covering local, state and national politics.

From 1999 until June 2001 he served as communications director for California Gov. Gray Davis, responsible for the governor's press office, speeches, public appearances and the public affairs for 13 state agencies and 60 departments. He directed the redesign of the state’s award-winning web site and created California’s “Flex Your Power” campaign.

In October 2001, he joined San Jose State, where he organized and directed SPRI, providing research and survey services for public, civic, educational, corporate and political organizations and individuals. He retired from SJSU in April 2008.

Trounstine provides writing, marketing, strategy, crisis-counseling and public appearance coaching for select clients. He is co-author of "Movers and Shakers: The Study of Community Power," published by St. Martin's Press, and he continues to write about politics for a variety of national and regional publications.

He studied at Stanford, graduated with honors from San Jose State and later served as a Pulliam Fellow, Duke University Fellow and John S. Knight Fellow. Trounstine has won numerous regional and statewide reporting awards and was a lead writer for the San Jose Mercury News coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in journalism.

Trounstine is married to the former Deborah Elaine Williams, a licensed marriage and family therapist. He is father of Jessica L. Trounstine and David H. Trounstine, and step-father of Amy W. Vegter, Ryan M. Wilkes and Patrick O. Wilkes. He lives in Aptos, California.