Cupertino Selects Native As City Manager

CUPERTINO, CA -- Cupertino has a new city manager, but it's someone who has called this Silicon Valley town home for a lifetime.

Deborah Feng's first day on the job will be June 3.

Feng has more than 30 years of progressive management and administration experience with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Ames Research Center on Moffett Field. Her responsibilities revolve around working with and understanding the operations of city government, financial management and budgeting as well as master planning and facilities construction, information technology, human resources, partnerships, and communications and outreach. She's both well rounded and focused.

She recently completed negotiations to build housing - including affordable apartments - on NASA property. This is the first such project in the nation accomplished for NASA.

“The City Council believes that Deborah Feng is an excellent choice for Cupertino due to her familiarity with the community and extensive experience managing a large organization,” Mayor Steven Scharf said. “We are confident that she will help the city move forward with our ambitious work program, re-staff vacant executive positions and increase Cupertino’s quality of life.

Feng has much experience with the latter as she grew up in the South Bay town.

She attended Lincoln Elementary School, Kennedy Middle School, Monta Vista High School and De Anza Community College, the latter where her father taught from the time the college opened in 1969 until his retirement 30 years later.

Feng's South Bay connection didn't end there. She also earned her master’s degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University while receiving the prestigious GOLD Award from the College of Business for her leadership in her graduate program.

“I look forward to engaging our community and working to keep Cupertino the wonderful city that I’ve known all my life,” Feng said.

Her personal interests include hiking and biking, often covering the hills of Cupertino. She is a first-degree black belt in Kempo karate and has a daughter Erica, 25, a graduate of De Anza and a son Dustin, 19, a current student at De Anza.

Feng’s contract is scheduled to be considered by the City Council on April 16. Her annual salary will be $239,000.

Amy Chan and Timm Borden have shared the city head's responsibilities as two interim managers.