Napa County Human Resources Director Suzanne Mason is being tapped for the assistant city manager position in Palo Alto. City Manager James Keene made the announcement Thursday, pending approval from the city council.
"Suzanne has more than 30 years of experience in all operations of local government that will be a tremendous asset to this executive position with a broad portfolio of responsibilities," Keene said. The role of assistant city manager, he added, requires an in-depth understanding of city operations, “including all of our utilities, as well as a responsiveness to the community and to our employees, and a commitment to continuous excellence across all departments."
The assistant city manager position has been vacant since last year, when Pamela Antil assumed the same position in San Jose. If approved, Mason is expected to start on May 5 at an annual salary of $220,000.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to join the management team in Palo Alto,” Mason said. “The Assistant City Manager position offers me a unique opportunity to return to city management in a progressive, well-run city.”
Mason has overseen human resources operations for Napa County since 2009 and previously held key positions in the City of Long Beach. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California. She is also a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
The council is expected to confirm Mason’s appointment on April 6.
Read more about Suzanne Mason here.