1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Innovative and results-driven municipal executive with more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience in city management, fiscal stewardship, and organizational development. Proven record of leading complex, multidisciplinary departments, including Finance, Human Resources, IT, and Economic Development, across large, mid-size, diverse, and coastal communities. Highly skilled in strategic planning, labor relations, and community engagement, with awardwinning accomplishments in financial reporting, smart-city innovation, strategic workforce development.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
City of Pacifica April 2021 – Present
Assistant City Manager Supervised 10 staff; General Fund Budget: $53.2M Key Duties:
Provided executive leadership and direct oversight for Economic Development, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Risk Management departments. Served with delegated authority to lead citywide operations and initiatives, policy implementation, and interdepartmental coordination in the City Manager’s absence. Facilitated the City’s strategic planning and goal-setting initiatives, managed labor negotiations, budget development, key economic development initiatives, business improvement districts, and complex special projects across multiple departments.
Key Accomplishments:
• Led labor negotiations and closed eight labor agreements in record time, improved compensation structure and retention by negotiating and implementing targeted equity adjustments through creative funding strategies. • Played a key leadership role in advancing major strategic initiatives, including the General Plan updates, Local Coastal Use Plan, Short-Term Rental Ordinance, technology/systems upgrades and ERP implementation, etc. • Launched the development of the City’s virtual assistant Rose AI, which won the MISAC Innovation and Helen Putnam Awards for the first of its kind implementation in California, enhancing public access and transparency. • Developed a citywide training academy and ongoing internship program to support workforce development and succession planning; served as liaison to various committees/commissions and represented the City, various Boards. • Spearheaded Vision 2025 & Beyond, an award-winning long-range fiscal sustainability program combining strategic planning, innovative economic development with robust community engagement to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Launched Shop Pacifica e-gift card program and Workcation tourism campaigns, boosting local revenues and economic resilience in marketing the City as a coastal destination. • Oversaw the City’s financial reporting and redesigned the format and processes into award-winning budget documents and ACFRs, securing multiple GFOA and CSMFO excellence awards. • Conducted tax studies that led to the passage of a 0.25c Transaction and Use Tax (2022) and an increase in Transient Occupancy Taxes (2024), making a significant milestone in Pacifica’s recent history.
City of Sausalito November 2018 – April 2021
Assistant City Manager / Administrative Services Supervised 12 staff; General Fund Budget: $19.0M Key Duties:
Managed administrative operations, including Finance, HR, Risk Management, IT, and Property Management. Led the City’s General Plan update and strategic planning efforts. Launched and implemented citywide Economic Development Program.
Key Accomplishments:
• Launched an Economic Development Program to attract businesses, foster growth in the local economy, and boost the hospitality industry.
• Optimized a multi-million-dollar property management program, acquired new properties, renegotiated leases, set market rates, and increased revenues. Developed and managed a citywide COVID relief program. • Advanced fiscal sustainability through implementation of modified zero-based budgeting and service-level–driven financial decision-making, resulting in award-winning budget and ACFRs.
YULIA CARTER / 650-740-2604 / [email protected]
2 • Managed Sewer Rate Study, Cost Allocation Plan, and Development Impact & User Fees to ensure General Fund recovery and implemented a new tax structure for Transient Occupancy and Business License Taxes. • Redesigned strategic planning process, assisted Council with development of a multi-year Strategic Plan, including the City's Mission, Vision, Goals, and Strategies and a staff-driven Implementation Action Plan (IAP) accountability tool.
City of Half Moon Bay April 2015 – November 2018
Deputy City Manager / Administrative Services Supervised 10 staff; General Fund Budget: $18.6M Key Duties:
Oversaw citywide financial management and budgeting, human resources, information technology, risk management, emergency preparedness, and strategic planning. Represented the City on regional and professional boards and provided senior executive leadership on complex policy, operational, and organizational matters.
Key Accomplishments:
• Introduced modified zero-based budgeting, ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparency, and prepared awardwinning financial reports. Implemented Popular Annual Financial Reports (PAFRs), the first city in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, earning GFOA recognition and improving public engagement. • Audited top revenue sources, and improved revenue assessments, collections, and discoveries for all lodging establishments, resulting in over $700,000 in back taxes and over $300,000 in additional annual revenues. • Strengthened emergency preparedness and risk management practices citywide and managed grants. • Developed a bilingual Open Government Financial Transparency platform, enhancing public engagement and accessibility with instructional videos in English and Spanish to reach the City’s large Latino population. • Assisted with the development and implementation of the Half Moon Bay NET (Network-Engage-Transform) Citizens' Academy as a community-building tool.
Town of Los Altos Hills September 2012 – April 2015
Administrative Services Director Supervised 4 staff; General Fund Budget: $12.0M Key Duties:
Managed all administrative services, including Finance, IT, HR, and Risk Management. Served as a liaison to the 11-member Finance and Investment Committee, engaged in all Town initiatives, prepared Budget, and managed general operations.
Key Accomplishments:
• Led key projects, including budget reorganization, fee studies, cost allocation plan, ERP implementation, restructuring the City Attorney’s contract, developed policies and procedures, managed RFPs • Conducted complex financial analysis and developed and implemented the concessionaire operation management model for the Westwind Community Barn.
City of San Carlos April 2007 – September 2012
Risk Manager / Senior Management Analyst Supervised 3 staff; General Fund Budget: $62M Key Duties:
Managed Risk Management Division, including risk, safety, and liability programs. Assisted with Budget preparation and provided analytical support to the City Manager on a variety of strategic projects and initiatives. Served on the labor negotiation team with six bargaining groups, engaging in concession bargaining.
Key Accomplishments:
• Improved risk management policies, reduced liabilities and enhanced safety standards, placed the City in the top tier of the insurance pool for implementation of risk management best practices. Secured over 250K in grant funding, • Played a key role in the outsourcing of services during the recession by developing service delivery options and managing implementation, including contracting park maintenance to a private provider, transitioning police services to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, and sharing fire services with the City of Redwood City, resulting in significant cost savings and operational efficiency.
3 • Prepared various RFPs and managed high-priority projects, including new tax measure studies, consolidation of services, ADA Transition Plan, needs assessment and implementation of ERP system, citywide grant management program, organizational studies, and strategic planning.
City of Kansas City, Missouri June 2003 – May 2007
Budget Manager / Fiscal Officer Supervised 3 staff; General Fund Budget: $550M Key Duties:
Completed the nationally recognized L.P. Cookingham Management Fellowship. Advanced from Management Analyst I–III to Fiscal Officer (IT Department), served as CMO liaison to public safety, water services, community development, IT, and internal audit departments, overseeing approx. $300M of the budget. Secured multiple budget excellence GFOA awards, strengthened fiscal accountability and data-driven decision-making, improved operational program efficiencies. Created the “Citizens’ Budget,” an award-winning, resident-focused financial document that became an ongoing publication.
EDUCATION
• Stanford University, Stanford, CA – LGSI Public Policy Executive Program (2021) • University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA – Berkeley Executive Program in Strategic Management (2011) • Hauptmann School of Public Affairs, Park University, Parkville, MO – Master of Public Administration, with Honors • Voronezh State University, Voronezh, Russia – BA in History, Political Science, and Intercultural Communication
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
• League of California Cities Helen Putnam Award for Excellence for the RoseAI virtual assistant initiative, advancing innovation, accessible and efficient municipal service delivery (2025). • California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) Grand Prize Program Excellence Award (2024) for Vision 2025 & Beyond initiative (2024).
• Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC) Innovation Award for groundbreaking Rose AI Virtual Assistant search and voice tool (2024).
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Award for Excellence in Government Financial Reporting (8 awards, multiple agencies).
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Budget Excellence Awards (15 awards, multiple agencies). • California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO) Budget Excellence Awards and recognition in CSMFO Magazine (6 awards across multiple agencies)
• ICMA Garvey Award Recipient (2006), ICMA Young Professional Scholarship Winner (2005), Outstanding International Student Representative for the State of Missouri Award (2003).
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
• League of CA Cities Governance, Transparency and Labor Relations Policy Committee Member • Vice Chair of ICMA Global Engagement Committee
• Advisory Board Member for the Local Governance Summer Institute at Stanford (LGSI) • Collaborated with Stanford students over the course of two years, co-teaching the Government in Action course and guiding the Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan project to promote sustainable governance. • Presented at the Local Governance Summer Institute (LGSI) Executive Program on strategic planning and fiscal sustainability, 2024, 2025.
• Presented on "Leading in Uncertain Times" at the Taituara Local Government National Conference in New Zealand, representing ICMA, November 2023.
• Presented on “Digital Transformation” at Sustainable Urban Development Seminar in Eswatini, representing ICMA, September 2025.
• Participated in international professional local government exchanges and study tours in the Netherlands, South Africa, Ireland, Slovakia, China, Philippines, New Zealand, Eswatini, and Saudi Arabia.