Michelle Bender was appointed City Manager in August 2023, having served previously as Deputy City Manager, starting in 2018, and Assistant City Manager, starting in 2021. She first joined the City of San Marcos in 2009, working in the Human Resources Department and was named Human Resources Director in 2014. In fact, San Marcos was her first job in local government. Michelle started her career working in the private sector, with a focus on human resources and organizational development. She is an alumna of the University of South Africa, with a bachelor’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology.
As City Manager, Michelle works with all City departments to ensure they are delivering efficient and high quality services while providing an outstanding customer experience.