Peggy has nearly 30 years of public sector experience, having served as the first communications and legislative director for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency where she was instrumental in the agency’s multi-billion downtown revitalization efforts and a $250 million Strong Neighborhoods Initiative – the largest of its kind in the United States.
Peggy also served as the Director of Communications and Community Relations for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, California’s second largest water district --- which serves 1.8 million customers and manages the county’s flood protection efforts.
Prior to joining Petaluma, Peggy served as the Assistant City Manager of Novato, where she led efforts to redevelop the former Hamilton Air Force Base and the 65-acre former Fireman’s Fund site, and worked to secure the City’s third SMART station. Peggy also created the City’s first extensive communications and external community planning and public outreach program and was instrumental in the passage of Measure C, the City’s 1/4 -cent revenue measure.
In 2019, Peggy was appointed as the City Manager of Petaluma—a vibrant and engaged community of 60,000 residents. Since her appointment, Petaluma successfully passed a 1-cent sales tax generating $18 million annually and attracting over $100 million in grants for community priorities, was the first city in the world to ban the development of new gas stations, launched the first 24/7 mobile crisis intervention program in the North Bay, and established the largest lottery-selected resident panel in the US to reimagine our fairgrounds property.
Peggy is an avid backpacker, having climbed Mount Whitney and backpacked solo in the Denali wilderness—and has passed that passion on to her grandson who joins her regularly. She and her husband own a cattle ranch in west Petaluma that has been in the family for four generations. Peggy has a deep connection to Petaluma and is honored to serve the Petaluma community.