Although the original author identified as a "super introvert" the problem he or she is asking about does not seem like introversion, but rather shyness and social anxiety. The author describes going to social gatherings and "like[s] hanging out with people," but has problems carrying on a conversation. I didn't read this as a clinical diagnosis of introversion, but as someone asking for help dealing with specific social situtations. As your own sources point out many people conflate introversion with shyness, and based on what the original author actually described I inferred that shyness and anxiety are the actual issues, whether or not he or she is also truly introverted.
My personal anecdotes, as both an introverted personality and (formerly) shyness/social anxiety sufferer, are not meant as professional therapy. Take my stories and advice for what they are. They are presented as personal anecdotes, not psychology or self-help. Whether I know more about introversion and shyness than the distinguished Huffington Post, Psychology Today, or Bustle is left to the reader, but sites that also promote "One Weird Trick" and celebrity diet advice may not be the best sources for psychology information. Since I grew up around practicing psychiatrists and psychologists in my own family I know that basing a diagnosis on a Jungian dualistic principle is out of step with modern psychology.
Introversion and extroversion are not things people are; they are opposite directions on an arbitrary scale of personality types. Likewise social anxiety is a spectrum of behaviors and maladaptations, not a black spot in the brain you can see on a CAT scan. That's what I meant by no one "is" an introvert. Many people have behaviors that are commonly described as introversion, and also shyness and social anxiety. Those behaviors may overlap in an individual, or they may not. More important than the labels you or someone else attaches to your personality and behavior is understanding that how you perceive yourself, and how you present yourself and react to social situations, are things that most people can change. Some people can do it themselves, others may need professional guidance.
There's not enough information in the original article for me or anyone else to say if the author has an introvert personality, or suffers from shyness and social anxiety, or both. I addressed the actual problem the author described: difficulty meeting people and carrying on conversation.
Since the author specifically asks about networking in the SF Bay Area I will reiterate that listening is the best skill to develop, because he or she will be trying to network with many people who love nothing more than an audience so they can talk about themselves.