By Macy Meinhardt, Voice & Viewpoint Staff Writer
Amid a tumultuous hiring process, San Diego Board Chair announced Wednesday that Ebony N. Shelton is the new selected Chief Administrative Officer, making her the first African American woman to hold this position within the county.
“I’m so proud that our Board unanimously agreed upon the hiring process that allowed us to find such a highly regarded and eminently qualified candidate from our own community to be the next CAO of San Diego County,” said Chairwoman Vargas.
The announcement of the candidate closes out a hiring process impacted by years of scandal, lawsuits, and a strong demand from the public for transparency in the appointment of the county’s most powerful position. With the final decision landing on Shelton, the choice underscores the significance of now having two Black women wielding top positions in the county.
Shelton, who currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer has been in service to San Diego County since 1997. Throughout her three decade tenure within the county, Shelton has held various human resource and financial positions across county business groups and departments.
As the chief financial officer since 2020, Shelton was responsible for administering the County's fiscal and financial functions and monitoring the annual County budget. Her role also involved assisting former CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer in administrative leadership and supervision of County business and performing functions assigned by the Board of Supervisors. Ms. Shelton is responsible for managing all financial, personnel, and operational functions of the Finance and General Group, and coordinates the Group initiatives in accordance with the CAO's strategic plan and County goals.
A native San Diegan and Afro-Latina of Black and Salvadoran ancestry, Shelton “understands the impacts of history on Black and Latino communities. This is at the foundation of her commitment to the health and economic prosperity and overall well-being of the county,” Supervisor Chair Nora Vargas said in a statement on the appointment.
The County’s CAO position is argued to be one of the most important and powerful positions in local government. As the nation's fifth largest county, The CAO manages the county's $8 billion dollar budget, oversees San Diego counties 20,000 employee workforce, and implements the policies and programs of the County.
“This unelected individual wields significant power and authority to achieve much-needed changes in our County. Further, given that the current CAO has served for more than 25 years, this hire has the potential to affect the future of the San Diego region, and everyone who lives and works here, for generations,” said the Center for Policy Initiatives, in their call for a transparent hiring process to the Board of Supervisors.
The position of CAO is not an elected one, it is appointed by the five member Board of Supervisors.
“Ebony N. Shelton brings with her decades of experience in financial and administrative leadership, along with a deep understanding of our community and working families. I know she is the right person to oversee county operations and execute the Board's vision, and I look forward to working with her in this new leadership role," said Vargas.
The last person of color to hold this position was Clifford Graves in 1985. On average, the CAO runs for as long as 10-25 years, and has an average salary around $375,000, according to Transparent California.
Ms. Shelton holds an Undergraduate Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and an Executive Master Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Sector Leadership from California State University at Northridge.
