Moorpark Announces Pj Gagajena As City's New Assistant City Manager

From the City of Moorpark:

March 11, 2020

City Manager Troy Brown is pleased to announce PJ Gagajena as the City’s next Assistant City Manager. Mr. Gagajena’s first day at City Hall will be April 6.

Mr. Gagajena brings nearly 20 years of local government experience, most recently serving as the Administrative Services Manager and Economic Development Manager for the City of Indio. Mr. Gagajena also spent 11 years working for the City of Los Angeles specializing in budget, human resources, performance management, urban planning, sustainability, and community relations. He began his career working for the City of New York and serving as an aide to former California State Assemblymember George Nakano. He also taught at El Camino College in Torrance as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science for nearly a decade.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve the community of Moorpark” said Mr. Gagajena. “The city’s high value on resident well-being, public safety, fiscal responsibility, education, arts and culture, sustainability, innovation, and community engagement are the reasons why I decided to come here. Not to mention that Moorpark is one of the safest cities in California and has a business friendly environment with strategic market potential. I look forward to joining an incredible city team, working with the city council, and meeting residents and businesses.”

Mr. Gagajena has master’s degrees in Public Policy and Urban Planning from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Ross Minority Program in Real Estate, and recently earned the distinction in becoming one of the state’s first Accredited California Economic Developers (ACE) through the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED). He also holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Society for Human Resource Management - Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Mr. Gagajena is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and International Network of Asian Public Administrators (I-NAPA). He currently serves as a CALED Regional Ambassador, and Regional Board Member and representative to the League of California Cities’ Environmental Quality Policy Committee for the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC).

Said City Manager Troy Brown: “We are extremely fortunate to add someone of Mr. Gagajena’s caliber to the Moorpark staff. He possesses both operational expertise and a proven track record of economic development success that will serve Moorpark well as Assistant City Manager. We are building a very talented leadership team at the City, and PJ’s commitment to customer service, coupled with his vast experience and knowledge, will add instant value to our community.”

This press release was produced by the City of Moorpark. The views expressed here are the author’s own.