San Diego City Wire

San Diego County Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton has announced several additions to her leadership team. After assuming her role in July, one of Shelton’s initial priorities was to build a leadership team to advance the County’s vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all. This included selecting Deputy Chief Administrative Officers to lead the County’s four operational groups and appointing an Assistant Chief Administrative Officer and a Chief Financial Officer.

The County conducted a national recruitment process and prioritized community feedback to help advance qualified applicants through the interview stages. Community members from various organizations were involved in screening resumes of top candidates and participating in interviews, providing critical input from a community perspective.

“This is an exciting time in our organization as we look towards the future, working together to support our employees and reflect the communities we serve,” said Shelton. “The fact that the community played a key role in helping select this new team is indicative of the collaboration we need to move the region forward.”

The selected candidates are:

- Assistant Chief Administrative Officer: Caroline Smith

- Chief Financial Officer: Joan Bracci

- Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Finance and Government: Brian Albright

- Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Health and Human Services Agency: Kim Giardina

- Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Land Use and Environment: Dahvia Lynch

- Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Safety: Andrew Strong

Dahvia Lynch will start her position on September 18. The other Deputy Chief Administrative Officers and the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer will begin their roles on September 30. Joan Bracci will assume her position as Chief Financial Officer on October 10.

The County of San Diego manages an $8.5 billion annual budget with approximately 20,000 employees who provide essential services across the region, including critical support for some of its most vulnerable residents.