My path into local government began with an early interest in politics and public service. From the beginning, I felt a strong connection to the purpose of public service. Local government in particular offers a unique opportunity to sit at the intersection of policy, community, and everyday life, doing generational work that directly influences how people experience their communities.
Throughout my career, I worked alongside mentors and leaders who challenged me to grow. They encouraged me to take on complex projects, present to boards and commissions early in my career, and stretch my capabilities in new ways. Those opportunities helped build my confidence and reinforced my commitment to public service.
Today, those experiences guide how I lead. Leadership is about creating an environment where staff feel supported, trusted, and empowered. When people are encouraged to take risks and learn from mistakes, organizations become stronger and more adaptable. I have always loved coming to work and hope to foster a culture where every team member feels the same way.
Building Teams through Empathy and Trust
As Town Manager of Truckee, my leadership philosophy is grounded in empathy, collaboration, and a long-term vision for the community. I believe empathy and kindness are not soft skills but essential foundations for effective leadership. Public service involves navigating complex issues affecting people’s lives, and approaching those challenges with humility and respect strengthens teamwork and decision-making.
When I stepped into the role in October 2020, our community was navigating significant uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within weeks of my arrival, additional shutdowns made it difficult to connect with residents and colleagues through traditional community meetings and gatherings.
As a mountain resort community, the pandemic brought an influx of new residents. That shift intensified conversations about growth, community character, and environmental stewardship.
I Believe Leadership is about Creating an Environment where Staff Feel Supported, Trusted, and Empowered to Innovate.
Housing pressures increased dramatically as rising costs pushed many workers out of the community.
Addressing these challenges required patience and a commitment to listening combined with the collaboration and support of the strong, talented team at the town. I often emphasize listening with the intention to understand rather than simply responding. When people feel heard, conversations become more constructive and solutions more collaborative.
Balancing Immediate Needs with Long-Term Vision
Central to local government leadership is balancing immediate responsibilities with long-term planning. Communities depend on reliable daily services, including infrastructure maintenance, public safety, and resident support, while leaders ensure these efforts contribute to a broader vision for the future.
In Truckee, that vision is guided by our general plan, the Truckee 2040 plan, which provides a twenty-year roadmap for development, environmental stewardship, and community priorities. Complementing that are five-year capital budget planning efforts and an operational assessments designed to prepare the organization for inevitable growth and evolving service demands.
Housing remains one of our most pressing challenges. The talented team at the Town has developed several innovative programs that now support nearly 900 members of the local workforce and their families; these programs have since been recognized and modeled in other parts of California and across the country. We recognize that we will not simply build our way out of the housing crisis. Instead, we use a toolbox of strategies that make better use of existing housing, expand workforce housing opportunities, and preserve the character of the community while supporting long-term sustainability. I am so proud of the staff for taking these chances to develop new ideas and new strategies to address our community housing challenges, and proud of our elected officials for being willing to take risk and provide space for ideation and innovation.
Strengthening Community Engagement
Maintaining public trust requires transparency and accessibility and in 2021 the Town Council prioritized community cohesion and communication, empowering our team to build upon the Truckee way and expanded community engagement to create more opportunities for residents to participate in local discussions.
People interact with government in different ways, so we, lead by our community engagement team, focus on meeting residents where they are. This includes monitoring social media conversations, answering questions addressing misinformation and creating new, fun ways for community to interact. Consistency in how policies and regulations are applied is equally important because it reinforces fairness and transparency in decision-making.
Truckee also benefits from a collaborative governance model. We work closely with several local agencies, including fire, recreation, hospital, school, and utility districts, coordinating resources to ensure the community continues receiving reliable services while adapting to changing needs.
Preparing for the Future of Local Government
The role of local government will continue to evolve as communities face tighter budgets, climate pressures, and increasing public expectations. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) may improve efficiency and responsiveness, but technology cannot replace empathy and the human touch. What AI cannot bring is the ability to respond to human needs with genuine care, and that is what grounds all of us as public servants.
Preparing for the future begins with investing in people. Truckee’s workforce includes many long-tenured employees who bring deep knowledge of the community and approach their work as true community builders. Leadership development, professional growth opportunities, and thoughtful succession planning ensure our organization remains prepared to adapt as laws, technology, and community expectations evolve. My background in finance reinforces the importance of responsible budgeting and strategic prioritization in meeting community needs over the long term.
Initiatives that Strengthen the Community
One initiative I am particularly proud of is the creation of new work units that include the Department of Neighborhood Services and Sustainability and the Division of Emergency Services. These new work units integrate housing programs, sustainability initiatives, community engagement, communications, belonging efforts, short-term rental regulations, and emergency services coordination into a unified framework. It is a structure unlike anything found in other organizations.
The department has supported several sustainability initiatives, including a singleuse foodware reduction ordinance, the elimination of single-use water bottles, and the adoption of a building decarbonization roadmap. Community programs, from block parties to dark skies photo competitions help strengthen connections among residents.
Community support for civic initiatives remains strong. Residents recently renewed a special tax dedicated to expanding Truckee’s trail network, reflecting a shared commitment to preserving the town’s natural environment and quality of life and also approved a new tax for essential services, funding transit services and emergency service efforts.
Ultimately, local government is about more than programs and policies. It is about the people, the people that are part of the Town organization and about building communities that remain resilient and inclusive for generations to come. In Truckee, I am so fortunate to stand with a talented and dedicated team that collectively we are all engaged, and believe in the work that we do that will shape the future of the town long after current leaders move on.
For me, public service is about helping guide that generational work. By strengthening relationships, planning thoughtfully, and investing in people, we can ensure that Truckee continues to thrive as a community that values collaboration, connection, environmental stewardship, and opportunity for all.
