What inspired you to enter city management?
My path to city management — and public service more broadly — evolved organically. In college, I explored a few different majors before ultimately earning my undergraduate and graduate degrees in criminal justice. Throughout that process and especially during the early years of my career, I realized I was drawn to working with people, the opportunity to contribute to the greater good, and building a career that was both personally meaningful and professionally impactful.
I’ve always been fascinated by the inner workings of government, how systems function, how services are delivered and how decisions are made that affect people’s daily lives. That interest deepened as I gained experience working in different levels of government, including at the state and county levels. From these perspectives, I came to see that working in local government offered the unique opportunity to make a direct, visible impact. I think cities can be more agile and responsive than other levels of government, and have the ability to build close, trusted relationships with residents. That’s what ultimately drew me to city management — the chance to lead change at a local level in a meaningful and directly impactful way.
How did you become assistant city manager?
I spent the majority of my career working in public safety, which I truly loved. That experience gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of responsive service delivery, the complexity of managing critical operations and the essential role local government plays in people’s daily lives. Although I loved working in public safety, I found myself drawn to the broader challenges cities face — issues like housing, infrastructure, fiscal sustainability and community engagement. When the opportunity arose to explore a position in the city manager’s office, it felt like the right next step — a chance to take the perspective and skills I had developed in public safety and apply them at a broader, citywide level. What ultimately drew me to the city management was the opportunity to continue serving in a role where I could help facilitate change and quality public service delivery across the entire organization and help shape a long-term vision for the community. It is a tremendous privilege to work in a role that is both strategic and service-oriented, and to be in a position to make a meaningful impact in the lives of our residents.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
There are many aspects of my role that I genuinely enjoy, and I feel very fortunate to do this work. What I find most rewarding is the opportunity to contribute — often behind the scenes — to the betterment and well-being of our community. Whether it’s implementing new services or programs, resolving a community member concern, improving infrastructure or strengthening internal operations, I take pride in knowing that our work directly impacts people’s daily lives.
What is especially meaningful is the opportunity to collaborate daily with our dedicated and talented staff. It’s incredibly motivating to work alongside individuals who are committed to public service and improving our city and to have the chance to support, mentor and lead them in their professional growth. Seeing our staff thrive in their work is one of the most enjoyable parts of this role. I also value the opportunity to engage regularly with members of the community — to hear their perspectives, build trust and help ensure our policies and services reflect their needs and priorities.
What role does a city manager play in local government, and how do you feel it differs from that of a council member or mayor?
The city manager is the equivalent of the organization’s chief executive officer, responsible for implementing the policies set by the city council and ensuring the day- to-day operations of the city run efficiently and effectively. While the mayor and council members are elected to represent the voice, values and long-term vision of the community, the city manager is appointed to carry out that vision and turn it into action — supporting staff, administering the budget and ensuring city services are delivered efficiently and effectively. The city manager is tasked with taking council’s goals and direction and determining practical, creative and cost effective solutions that align with available resources.
Though the roles are different, they are heavily interdependent. The mayor and council members focus on policy and strategic direction for the city, while the city manager ensures alignment across departments and leads the execution of those policies. Both roles are essential to support a successful and thriving community.
What does your typical day look like?
There is no such thing as a typical day, which is actually one of the things I love most about my job — every day is different and presents new challenges and opportunities. Generally, my days are filled with meetings — this can include meeting with department heads to review updates within their respective areas, staffing or resource needs, council agenda items, etc., meeting with council members to prepare for upcoming council meetings and/or connecting with community stakeholders to address emerging issues or concerns. Communication is also a big part of my day — whether I’m following up with staff, collaborating with elected officials and community members or working with external partners to resolve problems and/or ensure we are moving forward on projects. Recently, I also served as the interim information technology director, which added a different level of operational involvement to my day-to-day responsibilities. That role required me to engage more directly in department-level decision-making, from technical issues and supporting staff needs to managing the IT budget and overseeing projects; it was a great opportunity to stay connected to frontline operations while also balancing the duties within the city manager’s office.
So usually it is meetings, meetings, meetings — the volume and pace of the schedule was one of the most surprising aspects of the job, but it also what makes it so rewarding. It’s exciting to be involved in so many areas of city operations and to help drive work that has a real impact on the community.
What city project are you most proud of?
The city project I am most proud of being a part of has been the process to implement a comprehensive new public safety technology suite in response to the needs of our police department. This initiative took several years with many steps and brought long- overdue, modernized technology to all aspects of the department — including dispatch, records management, property and evidence tracking and jail operations. By investing in this upgrade, we didn’t only replace outdated systems, we were able to significantly enhance internal operations and our overall ability to provide high-quality public safety services to the community. The new suite allows for more efficient service delivery, improved data accuracy and analysis capabilities and a stronger foundation for transparency and accountability. It is a major step in bringing our police services into the contemporary era and equipping our safety personnel with the tools they need to meet the evolving needs of our community. I am incredibly proud to have been part of this project that will have long-term, positive impacts for both the department and the community.
What are the greatest challenges facing local governments today?
City managers today face numerous issues — including fiscal sustainability, homelessness, housing availability and affordability, public safety and staff recruitment/retention. However, I think one of the greatest challenges specific to the role of a city manager is operating within an ever evolving and unpredictable political environment. As the CEO of the city, the city manager must ensure that core services- police, fire, and emergency services, maintaining roads and sidewalks, operating parks, etc., are delivered efficiently. At the same time, city managers must also implement the policies and vision set by elected officials into actionable outcomes and respond to community concerns that may be influenced by broader political dynamics. Adding to this complexity is the growing number of legislative mandates from the state, often requiring compliance in short timeframes, with limited or no funding, and unclear implementation guidance.
The challenge is maintaining the day-to-day operations of the city while also navigating the shifting political climate, without losing focus on the core functions necessary to operate the city and the longer-term goals of the community. City managers also face the ongoing responsibility of supporting and leading staff through these challenges, fostering a positive workplace culture and ensuring staff have the resources and guidance they need to succeed. I think this balancing act requires a unique skill set of being agile, diplomatic and able to maintain consistency while managing external pressures. The ability to remain focused on delivering high-quality public services while navigating political dynamics is one of the defining challenges, and skills, of the city manager role.
When and how do you interact with the residents of your city?
Engaging with our community members is a priority and I try to take advantage of both formal and informal opportunities to do so. I regularly attend community events like our recent Earth Day celebration and Police and Fire Service Day, which are great opportunities to connect with residents in a more relaxed setting, answer questions, share updates about the city and hear what is on their minds. I also attend community forums, workshops and meetings hosted by various community-based organizations to engage with residents about specific issues or initiatives.
Beyond these planned events, I truly value and enjoy the informal, day-to-day interactions. that happen out in the community — walking through a park, visiting a local business, etc. I’m always inspired by how deeply invested our residents are in our city and how passionate they are when we talk about living here. That passion really motivates me to ensure our city government remains connected and responsive to the community we serve.
What is the role of a city manager in upholding the public’s trust in local government?
Upholding the public’s trust is one of the most important responsibilities of a city manager. In a lot of ways, the city manager serves as the face of stability and accountability for the community — especially during times of uncertainty or challenges, of which recently there have been many. People don’t always get to the see the behind the scenes of the day-to-day operations, but it is important that they trust they have a city manager who ensures that services are consistently delivered, responsiveness to the community’s needs, responsible stewardship of public funds and that decisions are being made for the overall betterment of the community. I believe trust is established through consistency, integrity, transparency and communication. When residents feel that their local government is well-managed, responsive and genuinely committed to improving quality of life, it strengthens their trust in city leadership and instills confidence in the organization (even when they may not agree with a decision or direction) and their overall satisfaction of living in the community.
Equally important is the city manager’s role as a role model for internal staff and the executive team. Staff look to the city manager for leadership, ethical guidance and a steady example of professionalism and values-based decision-making. Demonstrating accountability, fairness and a commitment to public service internally reinforces a culture of trust, which in turn shapes how the organization engages with the public.
How are cities shaping the future of California?
Having worked at the state and county levels before moving into city government, I’ve seen how cities are truly the driving force behind meaningful change. While broader policies may be formed at the state or federal levels, it’s at the city level where those policies are implemented. What sets cities apart is their agility. We have the ability to quickly pilot new programs, respond to emerging issues and adjust course based on direct community feedback. That flexibility allows us to be more innovative and responsive, especially in areas like housing, sustainability, public safety and community well-being. Cities are uniquely positioned to bring stakeholders together and move initiatives forward in a way that is creating a stronger, more resilient California.
How has being awarded the Executive Education Grant helped better your skills in the city management profession?
Receiving the Executive Education Grant provided me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and perspective working in city management. Through the grant, I had the privilege to attend Stanford University’s Local Governance Summer Institute. The program provided an overview of the complex and emerging issues facing local governments. The curriculum included topics such as housing, climate resilience and innovation in service delivery and community engagement. It was especially beneficial to learn alongside and engage in dialogue with managers from cities across the state. The networking and exchange of ideas was just as impactful as the curriculum itself- having the opportunity to share challenges and information with other leaders dealing with similar dynamics has been invaluable and I have already utilized that network on multiple occasions post-institute. The training opportunity the grant offered me has helped me be a more informed and strategic manager and I am grateful for the investment in my professional development to continue to benefit my organization and the community I serve.
