Summer Symposium

TERI BLACK

Teri has been dedicated to public sector executive search since 2000. Serving communities with populations over 1 million to towns as small as 2,000, she has built a substantial base of clients across the Western United States that continually rely upon her personalized service and recruitment expertise. Her clients also include special districts, utility agencies and non-profit organizations.

Before entering the executive search field, Teri enjoyed a successful career in local and federal government, serving in management positions where she oversaw public safety, finance, human resources, communications, public/legislative affairs, information technology and strategic planning. In the 42nd Presidential Administration, Teri served as Chief of Staff in the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office helping to oversee a $2 billion annual budget and a staff of 300.

Teri earned her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton. She is a founding committee member of Cal-ICMA’s Preparing the Next Generation initiative and holds active memberships in numerous professional associations serving the public sector.

ED SHIKADA

Ed is Palo Alto’s eighth City Manager, having served in this position since December 2018. Reporting to the City Council, he is responsible for overseeing the City’s day-to-day and strategic operations ranging from police and fire, utilities, and public works, to parks, libraries, and support services. Prior to becoming city manager, Ed served in the dual role of Assistant City Manager and General Manager of the Utilities Department. From 2003 to 2015, Ed served the City of San Jose from a Deputy City Manager to City Manager, and was responsible for guiding $2 billion investments in community facilities, adapting to economic swings with public private partnerships, and evolving roles for the City. Ed previously held management roles at the City of Long Beach and LA Metro.
Ed has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Hawaii, a master’s degree in architecture and urban planning from UCLA, and certificates from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Stanford Center for Professional Development. He is a former executive board member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and founding member/past president of the International Network of Asian Pacific Islander Public Administrators (I-NAPA). Away from work, he serves in a few roles with Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America).

MELVIN E. GAINES

Melvin E. Gaines has served as the City Manager of the City of East Palo Alto since 2023 and concurrently serves as the General Manager of the East Palo Alto Sanitary District. In these roles, he leads organizational operations, strategic planning, fiscal stewardship, and the implementation of community priorities in partnership with elected officials, employees, residents, regional agencies, and community-based organizations.

Throughout his career, Melvin has championed collaborative governance, recognizing that the most complex public challenges are best addressed through strong partnerships, shared leadership, and meaningful community engagement. Before returning to East Palo Alto, he served as Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Portola Valley and as a Principal Management Analyst in the City Manager’s Office for the City of Mountain View. He began his local government career with the City of East Palo Alto, where he worked across multiple departments and developed a deep appreciation for responsive, community-centered public service.

Melvin is a strong advocate for professional development and regional collaboration through the Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC). He previously served as MMANC’s Region 1 Co-Chair in 2019 and Finance Director from 2020 to 2023. Today, he encourages members of his leadership team and emerging professionals to engage in MMANC’s networking, training, and mentorship opportunities. He believes that investing in public servants strengthens organizations, advances the profession, and improves outcomes for the communities local governments serve.

His commitment to collaboration extends beyond government. Throughout his career, Melvin has partnered with nonprofit organizations, community advocates, and residents on initiatives focused on environmental justice, economic opportunity, food access, and neighborhood revitalization. A lifelong East Palo Alto resident, he remains deeply connected to the community that shaped him and is passionate about creating opportunities for future generations to thrive.
Melvin holds a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan, as well as bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Environmental Studies from Santa Clara University.

JOHN STEFANSKI

John Stefanski, is the Assistant City Manager for the City of San Rafael in northern California where he oversees Community Services, Finance, Human Resources, and Library & Recreation, in addition to serving as the project lead for special citywide projects and initiatives. John holds a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship of Public Affairs at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Miami University. With over a decade of public service, John has also worked for the City of Dublin, CA and the City of Hayward, CA. He has served as the 2023 President of MMANC and is a co-creator of the MMANC UpNext Program, aimed at supporting the next generation of local government leaders.

NICCORE TYLER

Niccore Tyler is a Bay Area native and has worked in government for over 20 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Loyola Marymount University in Civil Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco with an emphasis in Leadership and Organizational Development. Niccore currently works at Marin County as a Chief Assistant Director/Chief Strategy Officer within the Health and Human Services Department. At Marin County HHS, Niccore oversees the development and implementation of the strategic plan and leads initiatives on legislation, equity, evaluation, and communications. Prior to Marin County, Niccore worked in Solano County, where she oversaw aspects of administrative services, equity and civil rights, Whole Person Care, the Federally Qualified Health Center in Vallejo, Healthy Families America, and the Mental Health Services Act. She leans on this diversity of experience to help inform decision-making and connection with community. Niccore is also active in the Bay Area Social Services Consortium (BASSC), Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII), the County Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC), and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). Niccore also served for 10 years as a Civil Engineer in the Planning Department at East Bay Municipal Utility District. Niccore is passionate about finding the leader in everyone and striving for organizational development that leads to positive impact.

TRACI FARRIS

Traci Farris joined Cosumnes Community Service District in 2018 and has proudly served the community through a variety of leadership roles, including Recreation Manager, Park & Golf Operations Manager, Interim Administrator, and now Parks & Recreation Administrator.
A graduate of California State University, Chico, with a degree in Recreation Administration, Traci is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional and former board member of the California Park & Recreation Society. Throughout her career, she has been committed to creating welcoming parks, memorable experiences, and opportunities that bring people together.

Today, Traci leads the District’s Parks and Recreation Department, overseeing parks, recreation facilities, community programs, and strategic initiatives that serve one of California’s fastest-growing communities. She believes that parks and recreation play a vital role in building healthy, connected, and thriving communities.

JEFF WERNER

Jeff Werner serves as the Public Works Director for the City of Elk Grove, a position he has held since May 2021. A registered Civil Engineer with 20 years of experience in public works administration, finance, engineering, and construction, Jeff has dedicated much of his career to serving the Elk Grove community.

Throughout his tenure, he has overseen a wide range of programs and projects—from major capital improvements and flood control initiatives to traffic management, stormwater quality, and operational efficiency efforts. Jeff is known for his collaborative leadership style, focus on process improvement, and commitment to delivering high-quality, transparent, and community-centered public services.

A graduate of California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Jeff is also an active member of the American Public Works Association and a proud resident of Elk Grove.

CARLA HANSEN

My career has been deeply intertwined within the San Francisco Bay Area and local government. I’ve had the pleasure of working for three different mid-to-large size cities, served eight years as a Planning Commissioner for the City of El Cerrito, and was President of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC). With over 14 years of local government experience, I am passionate about public service, bringing people together to make change in their communities and making government systems, processes and services work better for its customers.

I am an empathetic, people-focused leader who is strategic and outcome-driven. I pride myself on fostering fun, creative, and collaborative team environments where everyone has a voice and feels empowered to use it. I thrive in dynamic, fast-paced atmospheres where effective communication and strong relationships are essential to success.

HOWARD CHAN

As a seasoned city manager with over 23 years of experience at the City of Sacramento, I have developed a strong expertise in public policy and administration. I have successfully led numerous initiatives to improve the quality of life for Sacramento residents, negotiated significant economic development projects, and fostered meaningful community engagement on vital issues. My leadership skills and strategic vision have enabled me to navigate complex challenges and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. I am passionate about creating positive change and advancing the interests of the city and its residents.

In my new capacity as President and CEO of Velocity Consulting Group, I will leverage my expertise and significant network to assist clients with effectively navigating the public sector space.

MICHELLE BOUCHARD

The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board unanimously appointed Michelle Bouchard as Caltrain’s first Executive Director on November 3, 2022. As Executive Director, Bouchard manages an operating budget of $260 million, oversees $132 million in capital projects, and leads an agency that provides a critical transit link between San Francisco and the South Bay that has been in operation for 162 years.

Michelle Bouchard serves as Executive Director for Caltrain where she leads the agency in advancing its mission to deliver a customer-focused rail system that offers safe, reliable, accessible, and sustainable transportation service that enhances quality of life for all.

Under her leadership, Caltrain has reached several significant milestones, including completion of the landmark $2.44 billion Electrification Project. She also led implementing Positive Train Control and completing the agency’s Strategic Business Plan.

Bouchard brings more than 30 years of experience in the transit industry. She also has a long history with Caltrain, having spent 25 years in its Rail Division, where she conceptualized and implemented the agency’s Baby Bullet express service which led to significant increases in ridership. During a hiatus from Caltrain, she was a group manager for Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), where she led the eBART and Oakland Airport Connector projects. She returned to Caltrain in 2015 as its Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to Executive Director in April 2021.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Brown University and a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the London School of Economics.
She currently serves as Chair of the Commuter Rail Coalition, a national advocacy organization representing commuter railroads, as the third chair in the organization’s history and first woman. In her first nine months of leadership, she has mapped the association’s first Strategic Plan, which will shepherd the organization through a new season of growth and influence, along with the recruitment of the association’s next chief staff executive and the upcoming leadership transition.

OLYMPIA WILLIAMS

Olympia Williams serves as the Deputy Director of the Community Services Division for the City of San José, where she provides strategic leadership for programs focused on neighborhood revitalization, youth development, violence prevention, community engagement, and systems change. She oversees a $54 million budget and leads a workforce of more than 160 employees dedicated to improving quality of life for San José residents.
Throughout her 19-year career in local government, Olympia has held leadership roles spanning recreation, policy development, program management, and executive administration. She is recognized for building high-performing teams, navigating complex organizational challenges, and fostering collaborative partnerships across government agencies, community organizations, and elected offices.
Olympia currently serves on the Selection Advisory Council for the GreenLight Fund Bay Area and on the Executive Board of the Municipal Managers Association of Northern California. A strong advocate for continuous learning and leadership development, she credits executive coaching as a key component of her professional growth and preparation for increasingly complex leadership responsibilities. Through coaching, she has strengthened her executive presence, expanded her strategic thinking, and gained valuable insights that continue to shape her leadership journey.
This perspective informs her passion for helping emerging and experienced leaders leverage coaching as a powerful tool for professional development, career advancement, and organizational impact.

MONICA DAVIS

Monica Davis currently works for the City of Oakland as the Deputy City Administrator, overseeing Oakland’s city-wide strategic plan and several key departments. Prior to that, she served as the Assistant Director for the Planning and Building Department. Before joining the City of Oakland, Monica worked for the City of Hayward, California as the Community Services Manager, overseeing homelessness policy, the community agency funding process, and undertaking special projects including a large land use development project. Monica is committed to delivering high quality public service in an innovative and efficient manner, supporting community engagement, organizational health, and working collaboratively to enhance diversity in local government. Monica is actively engaged in professional development and is a member of the International City and County Management Association (ICMA), and served as the 2021 Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) President. Since 2018, Monica has served on the Board of Directors for the International Network of Asian Public Administrators (INAPA) as a Director-at-Large. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in public policy from UCLA, a juris doctorate degree from Santa Clara Law, and a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in leadership and innovation from Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. Monica is a highly organized professional who sets deliverables for her team and herself and develops management strategies to timely achieve those goals. Monica lives in Oakland, California with her wife and two kids.

TASHA TERVALON

Tasha Tervalon has 20+ years of experience in the public sector and currently leads the Special Projects Division at the City of Berkeley. She works to implement best practices and cutting-edge initiatives citywide and leads the Employer of Choice Initiative. She began her career in Social Work and Public Health where she developed a passion for developing innovative programs, mentoring and coaching staff for success, community engagement, and promoting financial accountability and transparency. Highlights from her tenure include expanding funding and program reach for a variety of programs, addressing structural deficits, implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and developing mentor and training programs for advancing staff. Prior to working for Berkeley, Tasha worked at a nonprofit in Philadelphia. She is committed to change management and advancing the use of technology in the workplace and has a passion for helping teams reach their full potential through training, goal setting, coaching, designing systems for quality assurance and creating spaces for all members to succeed.