Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Chosen As County's New CAO

SAN DIEGO, CA — Longtime San Diego County employee Ebony Shelton was the unanimous choice of the Board of Supervisors to be the new chief administrative officer, board chair Nora Vargas announced, and the board will vote Thursday to approve her contract.

The board voted in closed session May 23 to select Shelton, the deputy chief administrative officer/chief financial officer, but said it would not identify its selection until completing contract negotiations.

A vote to approve Shelton's contract is set for Tuesday's board meeting, Vargas said.

"I'm so proud that our board unanimously agreed upon the hiring process that allowed us to find such a highly regarded and eminently qualified candidate from our own community to be the next CAO of San Diego County," Vargas said in a statement released Wednesday night.

If approved as expected, Shelton would start June 14 and replace Helen Robbins-Meyer, who retired in January. Sarah Aghassi has been the interim CAO since Robbins-Meyer's retirement.

A county employee for nearly 30 years, Shelton is now deputy chief administrative officer/chief financial officer, overseeing fiscal and financial operations, manages the annual budget, and helps the CAO with leadership and supervision of county business, along with matters assigned by the Board of Supervisors.

Shelton previously served as director for both county's financial policy and planning, and group finance. Shelton earned her undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix, followed by an executive master's degree in public administration -- with an emphasis in public sector leadership -- from California State University at Northridge.

Shelton "brings with her decades of experience in financial and administrative leadership, along with a deep understanding of our community and working families," Vargas said. "I know she is the right person to oversee county operations and execute the board's vision, and I look forward to working with her in this new leadership role."

According to Vargas' office, Shelton is a native San Diegan "and proud Afro-Latina of Black and Salvadoran ancestry, (who) understands the impacts of history on Black and Latino communities."

"This is at the foundation of her commitment to the health and economic prosperity and overall well-being of the county," Vargas' office said. Shelton "views her role as both a professional aspiration and a personal privilege, passionately contributing to its growth and development on a broader scale."

Vargas' office said Shelton's leadership style is "characterized by effective communication, strategic foresight, and relationship-building, and has earned her respect and admiration among colleagues and stakeholders alike."

Shelton lives in San Diego with her husband Cecil and their three daughters, Vargas' office said.

Earlier this month, supervisors held a special closed session to find a permanent CAO, who acts essentially as the county mayor. The CAO's office compiles the budget and keeps the county running day-to-day. Robbins-Meyer, who had served as CAO since 2012, first announced her retirement in October 2022, with a planned departure in late March 2023.

However, she stayed in her position following the resignation of Supervisor Nathan Fletcher in May 2023 following sexual assault and harassment allegations involving a former Metropolitan Transit System employee, which he has denied.

Supervisors voted 4-0 in April 2023 in favor of keeping Robbins-Meyer as interim CAO for a limited time. Last September, the board restarted the CAO search.

On Jan. 9, supervisors selected Aghassi -- previously deputy CAO with 18 years' experience in San Diego County government --as interim CAO while the recruitment process took place.

Crystal Irving, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 221, said the selection of Shelton "concludes a challenging process."

In a statement, Irving said Shelton "will be the first Black woman selected as CAO by the county, and for that, we recognize real progress."

Shelton added that 15 years, SEIU "has fought to shift the board's focus from prioritizing financial concerns to prioritizing people's well-being through investing in quality public services."

"Unfortunately, the opaque selection process did not create an opportunity for Ms. Shelton to share her vision as an applicant, including what changes need to be made in the culture and operations and how to execute them," Irving said.

"The selection process only added to public suspicion and cynicism of our government at a moment when we believe public services should be honored and celebrated," she added. "We recognize that none of this is the fault of Ms. Shelton, or any other applicant, and we believe she deserves the opportunity to have a fresh start."

Activists at a recent Board of Supervisors' meeting called for a transparent process and criticized them for not considering Cindy Chavez, a Santa Clara County supervisor, for the CAO job.

According to a Voice of San Diego article, Chavez "had been the leading candidate for the job and was nearly finished with the process" when the Fletcher scandal broke.

"We are hopeful that Ms. Shelton can spearhead the necessary changes to enhance how workers are treated and advance the board's progressive agenda," Irving said. "But our hope also comes with high expectations to deliver results."

By KAREN WEIL / City News Service