What inspired you to enter city management?
Honestly, city management wasn’t something I felt called to in the beginning like it is for some people. My journey really started back in high school. A friend of mine worked for the city of Torrance parks in the recreation department and he often needed help hauling a full-size wooden game wagon to different parks. I’d go with him and I still remember watching the kids light up with excitement as we opened it up and set up the games. That’s probably where my appreciation for public service first began — seeing how something small could bring joy and connection to a community.
When I went to college, I originally wanted to be an architect. But once I realized that drawing wasn’t exactly my strength, I discovered the Urban and Regional Planning program at Cal Poly Pomona — go Broncos! During my time there, I interned for the cities of West Covina and Claremont. It was through those experiences that I was introduced to the world of city management.
What inspired me most was seeing how different city departments worked together toward a common goal — building stronger, more resilient and vibrant communities. That’s when I knew I wanted to be part of something like that: helping communities grow, adapt and thrive as times change.
How did you become a city manager?
On the educational front, I earned my undergraduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly Pomona in 1997. Rather than going directly into a master’s program, I felt it was important to gain a few years of practical experience first. As a result, I waited about six years before completing a master’s degree in Public Administration from Cal State Northridge.
From a professional standpoint, I’ve spent the majority of my career in the community and economic development field, with significant experience in redevelopment prior to its dissolution in 2012. I’ve worked in a wide range of communities and at nearly every level, from intern to department head. Building on that experience, I was appointed to my first city manager position with the city of San Fernando in early 2014 and the rest is history.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
At its core, what motivates me is helping people and making a tangible difference in their lives. That can take many forms, from working directly with a resident who wants to improve their family home to partnering with a Fortune 500 company to resolve complex permitting or development challenges. No matter the scale, I see each interaction as an opportunity to provide thoughtful service and help move a community forward. Beyond individual projects, I am deeply motivated by the opportunity to build strong, mission-driven organizations that value hard work, professionalism and the people who carry out that work every day. Creating a workplace where employees feel respected, supported and empowered is not only the right thing to do, but it also leads to better outcomes for the communities we serve.
This focus on organizational culture is especially critical at a time when public service is at a crossroads and local governments are struggling to attract and retain talent. I believe that strong leadership, clear values and an intentional investment in employees can help restore pride in public service and ensure that local government remains effective, responsive and relevant in the years ahead. I also genuinely enjoy the camaraderie that comes with this profession. Through shared challenges, occasional commiseration and more than a few “you won’t believe what just happened at my council meeting” conversations, I’ve built lifelong friendships rooted in trust and mutual respect. Those relationships often remind me not to take myself too seriously.
If the underlying question is what I actually enjoy about being a city manager, it’s this: the responsibility, the variety and yes, even the occasional chaos. I enjoy being in the arena — helping solve problems that matter, working with talented public servants and navigating issues that don’t come with instruction manuals. No two days are the same and while that can be exhausting, it’s also what makes the role meaningful. There’s a unique satisfaction in taking something complex, messy or politically sensitive and helping move it toward clarity and resolution.
I also recognize that I’m human. I make mistakes — and sometimes I learn my lessons the old-fashioned way. I’ve sent the email too quickly, taken the long route to a simple solution and had moments when I wished for a rewind button. But I’ve learned that a sense of humor and a little humility go a long way in this profession. If you can acknowledge your missteps, learn from them and occasionally laugh at yourself, you not only become a better leader — you make the journey much more sustainable.
What role does a city manager play in local government, and how does it differ from that of a council member or mayor?
The answer is simple: city managers are not elected. Yet we see time and time again city managers acting as politicians. We are not, politics should be left to those elected by the people.
A good friend once told me that a good city manager understands politics but is never political. Our job is to carry out the mission set by the city council. It is to help the city council set goals and objectives that matter to the community. It is to provide employees with the tools they need to be successful and it is to create a supportive work environment that allows people to learn and grow.
What does your typical day look like?
One of the best things about this job is that there really isn’t a typical day. There are always problems and issues to deal with, but they can vary a lot. Some days start with meetings with department heads to talk through operations, projects, or staffing and other days begin with something unexpected that needs immediate attention.
A big part of my day is supporting the city council — making sure they have the information they need to make good decisions and helping turn their direction into action. I also spend a lot of time working with staff, removing obstacles and making sure they have the tools and support they need to be successful. Because of Vernon’s small residential population, there are many conversations with business partners and industry leaders, working collaboratively to address challenges, support economic activity and ensure the city continues to function efficiently. A very cool part about Vernon is that it is home to Fortune 500 companies ranging to mom and pop business that produce many of the goods people use every day.
This being said, just because Vernon has a very small residential population and strong industrial base, these partnerships are a critical part of the job. At the same time, conversations with residents remain equally important to me and their voices continue to matter.
What city project are you most proud of?
I get asked this question a lot and I usually disappoint by not naming a specific building, development or ribbon cutting!
The truth is, after spending most of my career in community and economic development, I’ve been fortunate to work on a lot of projects I’m proud of. We’ve revitalized areas, supported businesses, improved infrastructure — all the things that make cities function and grow. Watching a long-planned project finally open to the public is always a great moment.
But while shaping the physical landscape of a city is rewarding, I’ve found that helping shape the organization behind it is even more meaningful.
I’ve had the privilege of serving as city manager in San Fernando, Covina, Whittier and now Vernon. What I’m most proud of isn’t a single project — it’s helping build city teams that see public service as a responsibility, not just a 9-to-5 job. Local government isn’t always glamorous, but when you build a culture where people genuinely care about doing the right thing for their community, that’s something special.
Buildings age. Roads need repaving. But a strong team culture — one built on accountability, professionalism and a shared sense of purpose — lasts. If I’ve helped create environments where people are proud to serve and committed to their communities, that’s the accomplishment I value most.
Plus, great teams make everything else possible — including those ribbon cuttings.
What are the greatest challenges facing city managers in the state today?
After nearly 30 years in this business, I can say without hesitation — the job has changed. And not in a “we upgraded the software” kind of way. It’s more like we upgraded the software, but no one gave us the manual. Today’s environment is easily the most difficult to navigate that I’ve seen. We’re dealing with more unfunded mandates and less local control than ever before. The state hands cities a pretty ambitious to-do list — housing, homelessness, environmental regulations — but sometimes forgets to include the funding or flexibility to actually do it. So city managers spend a lot of time trying to turn “you must” into “how exactly?”
At the same time, expectations have skyrocketed. Residents expect transparency, responsiveness and immediate action — and rightly so. But governing by social media can be a challenge. Decisions that used to unfold over months are now debated in hours. Sometimes it feels like you’re managing a city and moderating a live comment thread at the same time. Recruitment and retention is another big one. The workforce has changed and local government has to compete with private industry, remote work and different lifestyle expectations. When I started, you were just grateful to land a job in city hall. Now we’re competing with flexible schedules, signing bonuses and the ability to work from a laptop at the beach. There’s also the broader political climate. Even though local government is supposed to be nonpartisan and focused on potholes and public safety, polarization still trickles down. City managers have to be steady, pragmatic and occasionally part referee.
All that said, I still believe this is the best level of government to work in. It’s where real problem-solving happens. You see the direct impact of your work. The challenges are bigger, the pace is faster and the scrutiny is higher — but the opportunity to make a difference is still what makes the job worth doing and if you can navigate all that with a sense of humor, it helps.
When and how do you interact with the residents of your city?
Vernon is definitely unique. With such a small residential population, I joke that I have a better chance of knowing every resident than most city managers — and in many cases, that’s actually true. I may not run into hundreds of people at the grocery store, but if I do run into someone, I already know exactly what street they live on.
Because our community is small, interactions are much more direct and personal. If there’s a concern, I’m likely to hear about it quickly — sometimes before I even get back to city hall. There’s no hiding behind layers of bureaucracy in Vernon. Accessibility isn’t just a talking point; it’s a necessity.
At the same time, while our residential population is small, our services certainly aren’t. We provide exemplary services and we take a lot of pride in that. The expectation is high — and when you’re serving a tight-knit community, you feel that accountability in a very real way. When something works well, people notice and when something doesn’t, they also notice — usually by calling me directly.
We also host several community events throughout the year — not just for Vernon residents, but for our neighboring communities as well. Those events are a great opportunity to connect in a more relaxed setting. It’s one thing to talk about service levels in a council meeting; it’s another to talk with families at a community event and see kids running around enjoying themselves. That’s when you’re reminded why the work matters.
In a larger city, engagement can sometimes feel formal. In Vernon, it’s personal. You know the people you serve and they know you. That keeps everyone grounded and focused on what’s important — delivering quality services and maintaining trust.
And the upside of a small community? If we have a good turnout at an event, I can proudly say we had “most of the city” there — and not be exaggerating too much.
What is the role of a city manager in upholding the public’s trust in local government?
I believe the city manager plays a central role in upholding the public’s trust in local government — whether people realize it or not. At the most basic level, trust is built on competence and consistency. Residents and businesses may not follow every policy discussion, but they know whether their streets are maintained, whether public safety responds, and whether city hall answers the phone. A city manager’s job is to make sure the organization delivers — every day, not just when it’s convenient.
It’s also about integrity. The city manager sets the tone for the entire organization. If the expectation is transparency, accountability and professionalism, that culture filters throughout the staff. If you cut corners at the top, that message filters down just as quickly. People may not always agree with decisions, but they should never question whether those decisions were made ethically and in the community’s best interest.
Another big part of trust is communication. In today’s environment, silence often gets filled with assumptions. Even when the news isn’t perfect, explaining the “why” behind decisions goes a long way. Residents are far more understanding when they feel informed rather than surprised.
Finally, a city manager serves as a steady, nonpartisan professional. Especially in times when public discourse can feel polarized, local government works best when it stays focused on service delivery, fiscal responsibility and community well-being. Being calm, consistent and solutions-oriented helps reinforce that local government is here to serve — not to score points. At the end of the day, trust isn’t built through one big gesture. It’s built in small, daily actions — doing what you say you’re going to do, being transparent when things go wrong and always remembering that public service is a responsibility. That mindset starts with leadership and the city manager has to model it every single day.
How are cities shaping the future of California?
From my perspective? We’re shaping it in very practical, very real, sometimes very unglamorous ways. In San Fernando, shaping the future meant focusing on strong neighborhood services and ensuring that working families felt supported in tangible, everyday ways. In Covina, it centered on economic development—revitalizing commercial corridors and creating an environment where businesses could grow and thrive. In Whittier, the challenge was balancing community character with thoughtful growth, preserving what residents valued while planning responsibly for the future.
And now in Vernon—a uniquely industrial city—shaping the future means supporting the jobs, industry and infrastructure that power the regional economy, while also being intentional about how we thoughtfully introduce and support a growing residential community.
What I’ve learned is this: California’s future isn’t shaped by headlines. It’s shaped by land-use decisions, capital improvement plans, public safety strategies and balanced budgets.
When we:
- Approve housing or industrial projects
- Upgrade water, sewer and street infrastructure
- Negotiate labor contracts responsibly
- Attract and retain employers
- Implement state mandates in ways that actually work locally
We’re not just managing a city. We’re influencing housing supply, job growth, environmental sustainability and economic stability across the state. Cities are where big state policies become real. The Legislature can pass a bill, but it’s city managers and city councils who figure out how to implement it without breaking the budget or the community’s trust.
And here’s the honest part: it’s rarely flashy. It’s long council meetings, spreadsheets and community feedback, but those day-to-day decisions determine whether California communities remain livable, economically competitive and financially stable.
So from my experience across four very different cities, I’d say this: California’s future is being shaped city by city — through practical leadership, steady management and a lot of behind-the-scenes work that most people will never see… which usually means we’re doing it right.
