South Bay HR Pro To Lead Redwood City Employment Department

REDWOOD CITY, CA — The city announced Friday the appointment of Michelle Katsuyoshi as Human Resources director.

City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz appointed Katsuyoshi following a nationwide search.

Katsuyoshi has served in the same capacity at Morgan Hill since 2016, where she managed all human resources functions, including hiring, labor relations, employee learning, risk management as well as the development of compensation and benefits. Katsuyoshi has worked at the southern Santa Clara County town for eight years.

Katsuyoshi has more than 20 years of experience in human resources and offers an impressive breadth of experience in local government. She comes to the Peninsula city at a pivotal time. As its director, Katsuyoshi will lead efforts to modernize and streamline HR services, emphasizing innovation, contemporary best practices and current industry trends.

"Redwood City is committed to working with its constituents to build a great community. That starts with building a great employee community," Stevenson Diaz said. "Michelle is a dynamic and collaborative HR professional, with a track record of leading positive change.

During her tenure in Morgan Hill, Katsuyoshi built strong partnerships with labor groups and city departments. She led efforts to bring new technology and creative solutions to HR practices. Under her leadership, Morgan Hill streamlined its job application intake, launched a successful Work on Wellness program, and revamped employee recognition programs.

"I am honored to join the city of Redwood City and excited to be part of a team culture that is committed to providing the highest quality services to the community," Katsuyoshi said. "Redwood City has proven to be a dynamic leader at the forefront of best practices by encouraging innovation and creativity."

Prior to working at Morgan Hill, Katsuyoshi was an HR project manager with the Town of Los Gatos and held HR positions in the cities of Sunnyvale and San Jose. She also served as an HR consultant to the city of Santa Clara.

She will start in her position Sept. 16.