New City Administrator Appointed Following Stephanie Dawkins' Retirement

GENEVA, IL — The Geneva City Council approved the appointment of a new city administrator at Monday's Board meeting.

With 15 years of municipal experience in Aurora, Alex Voigt will succeed Stephanie Dawkins, who announced she would retire, effective Aug. 15.

As city administrator, Voigt will supervise all department heads, manage the day-to-day operations of city government and serve as budget officer, overseeing the preparation of the annual budget for City Council approval.

"Ms. Voigt's professional and interpersonal skills are exactly what our community deserves to help advance the principles of Geneva's 2030 Strategic Plan and beyond," Mayor Kevin Burns said in a statement. "Her highly respected team building, communications, collaboration, and fidelity to good governance make her the perfect chief administrative officer to help guide Geneva’s future and elevate our promise and potential."

Voigt's most recent position was as deputy chief of staff for Aurora, working closely with elected officials — at the city, state and federal levels — city staff, municipal advisory boards and residents. Her experience also extends to taking care of daily operations for the mayor's office, providing direction on the role of Aurora's Emergency Management Division, and leading modernization efforts for several of the city’s online platforms.

Before being named deputy chief of staff, Voigt was promoted to assistant to the mayor, management analyst, interim emergency management coordinator and interim city clerk.

"I am thrilled to join the City of Geneva and honored to step into the role of City Administrator," Voigt said in a statement. "Geneva's vibrant community, strong civic values, and commitment to thoughtful growth make it a truly special place. I look forward to working with the City Council, City staff and the residents to contribute to the continued success of this great city."

Voigt has a master's in public administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio and will soon receive her certificate of executive education from the Harvard Kennedy School.