City Selects New City Manager

Announcement from the City of Half Moon Bay:

Following an extensive recruitment process that attracted more than 67 candidates, Mayor John Muller announced the selection of Magda Gonzalez as City Manager of Half Moon Bay. Ms. Gonzalez is currently serving as the City Manager of East Palo Alto where among her achievements in the past two years she has balanced the City’s budget, established a ten-year Capital Improvements Projects plan, and developed a set of professional standards for all City departments. Her official starting date for the City of Half Moon Bay will be announced at the August 19, 2014 City Council Meeting after her contract is publicly approved by the City Council.

Previously, Ms. Gonzalez worked for the City of Half Moon Bay in 2012 on budget matters, community engagement, and the City’s strategic plan. In years prior, Ms. Gonzalez served as the Deputy City Manager of Redwood City, where among her many accomplishments, she helped secure bond funding for a new library at Redwood Shores.

“We are very excited to announce the selection of Magda Gonzalez as our next City Manager,” stated Mayor John Muller. “Magda is well-respected in the industry of municipal management and we have the utmost confidence that she’s the right person to lead Half Moon Bay into the future. In addition to her management skills, she brings a fresh perspective on community engagement and instituting professional standards for city governments. Magda also is bilingual and understands how to create a spirit of inclusiveness to people of all backgrounds – which is something we are really looking for.”

Ms. Gonzalez is active in many community-based associations. She is the current Board President of the International Hispanic Network, which is an organization that encourages professional excellence among Latino local government administrators. Additionally, Ms. Gonzalez served as the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference Program Committee Chairperson in 2012. In 2008, Magda was a Rising Star Award recipient from the Municipal Manager Association of Northern California.

Ms. Gonzalez holds a law degree from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science from California State University, Sacramento.

“I also would like to express my sincere appreciation to our interim City Manager, Stuart Schillinger, for his remarkable work over the past six months,” added Muller. “He has demonstrated tremendous leadership during this transition period and we appreciate all of his contributions to Half Moon Bay.”

The City of Half Moon Bay thanks the City of Brisbane for their partnership and cooperation in allowing Stuart to be our Interim City Manager during this transition.