2026 Spring Recruitment
Board and Commissions
Interview Selection
Presenters:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
Nicole Bissell, Deputy City Clerk
March 2, 2026 www.PaloAlto.gov
1 • Included in this recruitment:
o Historic Resources Board (HRB) – 3 full term vacancies, expiring 3/31/2029 o Human Relations Commission (HRC) – 1 partial term vacancy, expiring 10/31/2026 o Planning & Transportation Commission (PTC) – 2 full-term vacancies, expiring 3/31/2030 o Stormwater Management Oversight Committee (SWMOC) – 1 partial term vacancy, expiring 10/31/2026 o Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC) – 3 full-term vacancies, expiring 3/31/2029 • Recruitment Timeline:
o January 13 – Recruitment Opened
o February 18 – Recruitment Closed
o March 2 – Select Candidates for Interviews
o March 23 – Candidate Interviews (Tentative)
o April 6 – Appointments (T entative)
2026 SPRING RECRUITMENT
2 • The number of interviewees varies based on the number of vacancies. o Interview all candidates if there are 6 or fewer applicants o Interview up to 6 candidates when there are 1-2 openings o Interview up to 8 candidates when there are 3 openings o Interview up to 10 candidates when there are 4 openings • Councilmembers will vote on whom to interview, getting twice the number of votes as there are openings. The top vote getters are interviewed. • Candidates must receive at least 2 votes to be interviewed.
INTERVIEW SELECTION PROCESS
3 RECRUITMENT SUMMARY
BCC Vacancies Applications
Received
Candidates to
Interview
Councilmember
Votes
HRB 3 3 All n/a
HRC 1 9 Up to 6 2
PTC 2 11 Up to 6 4
SWMOC 1 0 n/a n/a
UAC 3 10 Up to 8 6
4 3 Applicants for 3 Full-Term Vacancies, expiring 3/31/2029 • Alisa Eagleston-Cieslewicz
• Nandini Ramamurthi
• Ronald Katz
No candidate vote to be taken at this time. 3 applications were received for 3 vacancies. Council procedures indicate that all candidates will be interviewed if less than 6 applications are received.
Council has the discretion toextend the recruitment if desired.
HISTORIC RESOURCES BOARD
5 9 Applicants for 1 Partial-Term Vacancy, expiring 10/31/2026 Anne-Marie Duliege: Veenker (1)
Cynthia Wood: Lu (1)
Deborah Goldeen:
Ellen Bob: Burt, Lauing, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl (4)
Haylea Hannah:
Jonake Bose:
Raizel Rosenberg: Lu, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (4)
Raymond Goins: Lythcott-Haims (1)
Rona Hu: Burt, Lauing, Stone (3)
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION (ROUND 1)
6 11 Applicants for 2 Full-Term Vacancies, expiring 3/31/2030 Bobi Adle:
Bryna Chang: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (7) Daniel Phillip Benas: Burt, Reckdahl (2)
David Wu:
Ellen Shay:
Forest Olaf Peterson: Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Stone, Veenker (4) Jeff Watt: Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl (4)
Joyce Beattie:
Martin Blanchet: Stone, Veenker (2)
Nikita Kutselev:
Tom Siegal: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (6) PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (ROUND 1)
0 Applicants for 1 Partial-Term Vacancy, expiring 10/31/2026 No candidate vote to be taken at this time. Staff recommends extending the recruitment.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
7 10 Applicants for 3 Full-Term Vacancies, expiring 3/31/2029 Andy Poggio: Reckdahl (1)
Barry Wolf: Reckdahl (1)
Benjamin Piiru: Burt, Lauing, Stone (3)
Grant Chang: Lu, Stone (2)
Greg Scharff: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (7) Hassan Naqvi:
Julia Zeitlin: Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (6) Meagan Mauter: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (6) Olgu Tanriverdi: Burt, Lu (2)
Robert L Phillips: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (6) UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMSSION (ROUND 1)
8 • Clerk’s Office will reach out to candidates to coordinate interviews, which are tentatively scheduled for the 3/23 City Council Meeting • Appointments are tentatively scheduled for the 4/6 City Council Meeting
NEXT STEPS
9