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The role of the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer is to serve as Administrator of the Executive Services Department (ESD) while also supporting the CAO and Mayor’s offices in city-wide initiatives and efforts that are aligned with our business plan.  ESD includes Communications & Engagement, IT, City Clerk and Public Records, Emergency Management, and Organizational Development & Performance. Together, these teams improve systems, enhance service, and enable data-driven decisions while fostering inclusion, innovation, accessibility, and transparency.

Kristi Rowland brings 30 years of public service experience and has served the city of Renton since 2007.  She started in the Finance Department and progressed to her current role in 2021.  Her prior experiences include leadership roles in tribal government as well as some time with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Kristi currently serves as President of the Municipal Research Services Center (MRSC) Board of Directors, is a Past President of Washington City Management Association (WCMA).  She is a former board member of the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and served briefly as the interim Sound Cities Association Executive Director. She is a founding member of the Northwest Women’s Leadership academy. She holds a B.S. from Eastern Oregon University, is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and a graduate of the UVA Senior Executive Institute as well as the Harvard | Bloomberg City Leadership Initiative.

Visit the ESD page