Pleasanton Assistant City Manager Pamela Ott Retiring; Alexa Jeffress To Take Her Spot

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton Assistant City Manager Pamela Ott will retire June 21 after two decades with the city. Deputy City Manager Alexa Jeffress will assume the role of assistant city manager on July 1, the city said.

Ott started working for the city in 2003, following two years as executive director of the Pleasanton Downtown Association. She began as director of economic development, and later served as director of economic development and community engagement. She was promoted to deputy city manager in 2020, and assistant city manager in 2021.

Ott has overseen numerous city functions like public works, community development, business licensing, economic development, and public communications. Under her guidance, the city helped attract major economic development projects like the Workday headquarters campus, the Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone, the expansion of 10x Genomics, and numerous business retention and support programs.

“Pamela has been a pillar of leadership in Pleasanton, helping advance complex initiatives while always keeping the community’s needs and interests at the forefront,” Pleasanton City Manager Gerry Beaudin said in a statement. “Her thoughtful guidance and dedication to public service will be greatly missed.”

Incoming Assistant City Manager Alexa Jeffress was hired as deputy city manager in February 2023. Before that she had over 20 years experience in government administration and economic development. She served as director of the Economic and Workforce Development Department for Oakland and held leadership positions with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and BRIDGE Housing in San Francisco.

Since joining Pleasanton, Jeffress has overseen and supported several important city functions, including library and recreation, IT, the city clerk's office, emergency preparedness, and waste and recycling. She helped advance major citywide initiatives, including the first citywide 5-year strategic plan, ONE Pleasanton, a centralized Emergency Management Division, and more.

“We are fortunate to have Alexa step into this important role,” Beaudin said. “Her professional experience, expertise, and dedication make her an excellent fit to help guide the organization forward.”