Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao announced her choice for the next City Administrator, Jestin Johnson. Johnson has extensive service in municipal and large organization management and is committed to working with City leaders and staff to address the challenges we face.
“Jestin Johnson has an exemplary record working with cities, organizations and residents to elevate services, address concerns and bring people together,” said Mayor Thao. “We spoke with leaders from across the country for this role and it was clear Jestin has the right combination of experience, compassion and collaboration needed to help us improve services for residents and make City government more effective and efficient.”
“Being the Oakland City Administrator is a dream job. There is no other city like Oakland when it comes to its history and tapestry of cultures and people,” said Johnson. “This is an incredible opportunity to work with residents and communities to tackle public safety challenges, build and upgrade public infrastructure and work with our City workers to develop proven solutions for residents.”
Johnson comes to Oakland after an exhaustive nationwide search for Oakland’s next City Administrator. He has worked in municipal and county governments for nearly two decades, including serving as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer in Atlanta, where he worked closely with public safety agencies and led development of significant capital projects. He also previously served as the Assistant County Manager for the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, GA, as City Manager of Bisbee, AZ, and as Management Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Tucson, AZ. Most recently, he served as IBM’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager.
“I get energized working with people and collaborating on solutions to even the toughest problems. I am a strong believer in engaging our City workforce so we can elevate and address their concerns and implement solutions. So often the best ideas originate from the folks on the frontlines and I want to make sure their voices are heard,” said Johnson. “And I’m excited to work alongside Mayor Thao and the City Council as we come together to innovate, improve and streamline City government. I can’t wait to start.”
Johnson’s appointment has been sent to the City Council for consideration. The Mayor’s Office will be asking City Council to schedule a vote on confirmation for May 16. If approved Mr. Johnson will start on June 5.