CAO Message: Changes in HHSA

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A message from Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton:

Hi Team,

Communication with each other is important – it helps build relationships and trust, and it’s vital as we look toward the future of our organization as one County team. With that, I want to share some recent changes in the Health and Human Services Agency that will help us provide more effective services reflective of the communities we serve.

Planning is underway for the merger of various offices of the department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities (HSEC) into several Agency departments. The Office of Homeless Solutions will become part of Housing and Community Development Services, to better address the full continuum of homelessness needs, from outreach and shelter to permanent housing. The Office of Equitable Communities will join with the Office of Strategy and Innovation to align efforts around community and organizational engagement. And the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will join Self Sufficiency Services to provide better alignment of common resources and partnerships.

In addition, the Public Health Services Department and Medical Care Services Department will merge, bringing together two departments that have long shared the mission of enhancing the well-being of our community.

Thank you to the teams who will make these organizational moves a success and to the Agency’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Kimberly Giardina for leading the way. And thank you to the entire County team for supporting each other and our organization as we move into the future.

CAO Message: Join Me in Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

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A message from Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton.

We are in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and this year’s theme is especially meaningful to me and to our organization.

The theme is Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.

My father was a pioneer and paved the way for me to follow his path.

He came to the U.S. from El Salvador, leaving behind a devastating civil war. I grew up here in San Diego, a binational region rich with Hispanic traditions, culture and heritage.

It led me to where I am today, with you, as the first Afro-Latina to serve as the County’s Chief Administrative Officer. I am proud to represent a part of the meaningful and exciting changes taking place in our organization to ensure we reflect the communities we serve.

Additionally, this year’s theme could apply to all of us at the County as we manage changes in the workplace, community and the world.

Thirty-five percent of County employees identify as Hispanic or Latino. Our San Diego County Latino Association was the first Employee Resource Group to form, and it recently celebrated its 41st anniversary. The group is truly a pioneer in our organization, and we now have 11 Employee Resource Groups to extend this sense of belonging.

Our County organization and the entire region is incredibly diverse with many different ethnicities, cultural roots and social foundations. It is this diversity that makes the County stronger and helps us understand the neighbors and communities we serve.

By valuing and prioritizing belonging, we broaden our horizons helping us come together with the community to take out challenges large and small.

Please join me in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Learn more about the month’s history and ideas to commemorate this important occasion. And consider joining the San Diego County Association or another Employee Resource Group. They offer resources and events – it’s a great way to learn, meet other team members and have an even greater appreciation for the diversity of our county.

Let’s take our lead from this year’s theme. I look forward to working alongside you as, together, we shape a bright future for the County and the region.

Get To Know Your CAO

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Text Transcript of Image

Get to Know Your CAO 

What is your leadership style? 
I have spent the last few years in a coaching mode - meeting the organizations needs to grow and empower financial leaders. I’m transitioning to a visionary leader to meet the needs of the organization in my new role. 

What is a transformational moment in your life?  
Two come to mind – the birth of my first child. And, finding my family through Ancestry DNA matching. 

Why did you apply for the CAO job? 
I stepped up for the County team to provide some level of certainty during a period that has felt uncertain. I want to lead the transformation of the organization rather than have it led by someone who maybe wouldn’t understand the people and culture of this organization as well. 

What food can you not live without and one you don’t ever want to taste again? 
Can’t live without coffee! I’d be OK if I never see, smell or taste a red or green bell pepper again.  

What are your favorite hobbies?  
Cooking (not bell peppers!), murder mystery podcasts, being outside, and taking long walks at night. 

How do you stay organized? 
At work, I look weeks and months ahead to understand where I’m going, and what we need to focus on. I like to use visual dashboards and timelines to help coordinate overall activities – tools to help me step back and not micromanage. At home, I share a family calendar with immediate family and close friends so that we can coordinate and manage scheduling conflicts. 

How do you relieve stress?  
Physical movement and paying attention to sleep. I’m a big fan of rest for myself and others. I don’t subscribe to the so-called “hustle culture” – an attitude that promotes working long hours at the expense of meeting personal needs. I will ramp up when I need to meet the moment, but that’s not my default mode. 

What are your strengths?
Many departments use the Clifton Strengths assessment to learn about someone’s unique combination of strengths. Mine are communication, futurist, harmony, positivity and consistency. 

What’s your favorite place to eat? 
Panera – soup and salad is my favorite.  

What is your secret talent?  
Baking – my friends and family enjoy my Reese’s cake the most. 

What’s your favorite family activity?  
I have two young children in addition to my older one, so that means most events involve kids’ activities – things like play dates, birthday parties, gymnastics. I also enjoy spending time at the beach, pool and park.  

Do you have pets? 
I’ve had many dogs over the years, but my girls are allergic to dogs, so we recently welcomed a cat into our home for my daughter’s birthday.  

What keeps you grounded?  
My humble upbringing in San Diego. I was born and raised here and stay close to my community. I know who I am and where I came from, and it is a reminder that I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams!  

I also credit my family and friends, many of them I grew up with, along with my faith, to keep me centered. I rely on the people I work with at all levels of the organization, and I keep my values in focus. 

How do you juggle work and family? 
There will always be distractions competing for time. I accept that. I focus on being present in situations that matter the most. For things that don’t require me to be personally present, I enlist help. Also, my partner and I discuss how to share the mental and physical load. And, I remember to make myself a priority before I give to others. 

What is your overall philosophy? 
When dealing with people, I try to focus on being kind, helpful and honest all at the same time (or be quiet). I don’t always get it right, but this allows me to avoid gossiping and to set boundaries.

A message from the New County Chief Administrative Officer

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A message from Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton:

I am honored to represent our team as of today as your new Chief Administrative Officer.  

I am so grateful and humbled to begin this new chapter as we continue to build a just, sustainable and resilient future for all. That is our County’s vision, and I am committed to you – our County team – and the community we serve to fulfill that vision.  

I want to thank Sarah Aghassi, who has been the interim CAO. She provided leadership and support through this critical transition, and I appreciate all she has done. 

The County family is special to me. I started as a court services clerk in 1997 at the superior court when the court and County were combined, and I have continued to serve the community in different roles while working alongside so many of you for almost 30 years. 

I am proud to be the first Afro-Latina CAO, and I am also a proud San Diegan. I am from this community and am excited to continue serving our community even more in my new role. 

As we know, all of our experiences help create a sense of belonging in the organization as we deliver diverse programs and services to the public. We are on a journey, one that we will walk together, toward an organization that is reflective and responsive to the needs of our communities, our families, and our workforce.  

Please know that I value your input and the input of the community as we build the future. You can share your thoughts with me by email, I look forward to this journey we are starting together.   

Interim CAO Message: Updates in the Organization

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A message from Interim Chief Administrative Officer Sarah Aghassi:

Hi team, I wanted to take the opportunity to update you on some important organizational changes.

First, it has been an honor to serve as your interim Chief Administrative Officer, a temporary role I accepted to give the Board of Supervisors time to conduct their recruitment process for the permanent CAO.

My nearly two decades at the County have been deeply rewarding for me professionally and personally in each of the roles I have served, but none have made me prouder than my time as your Interim CAO. 

In the last six months, we have come together to help community members impacted by the January floods, collaborated across the organization to create a recommended budget for all, while ensuring the continuity of operations during this time of transition. Our team is as wonderfully diverse as our programs and services and is stronger than ever and will continue to make positive impacts in our communities. 

It has been a privilege to help lead you through these times, and I am deeply grateful for the trust you placed in me. 

We always knew my role as CAO would be temporary. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the appointment of Ebony Shelton as the new Chief Administrative Officer. Ebony has a long history of commitment to public service that I know you share. Ebony will begin her new role on June 14.

With this transition, I want to share that, after a rewarding career with my County team, I have decided to pursue new adventures outside of the organization. My career has come full circle with years of public service and work with businesses, community organizations and non-profits, and now I am excited for what lies ahead as I bring all of that together in my next professional venture outside of the County organization. My last day with the County will be July 5.

I am humbled to witness the work our team does every day under a shared vision, shared mission and as One County Team. I wanted to be sure to take the time to thank you – each of you – for being the heart and soul of our organization. You embody the County’s values of integrity, equity, access, belonging, excellence and sustainability. It has been a privilege to serve in this role with you. And the future is indeed bright!

Interim CAO Message: Enter to Win Tickets to See New Musical Comedy

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A message from Interim Chief Administrative Officer Sarah Aghassi:

In the words of Mrs. Doubtfire, hellooooo,

As an extra thank you for all you do, I am donating two front row seats to Broadway San Diego’s “Mrs. Doubtfire” at the San Diego Civic Theatre on Saturday, June 8 at 2 p.m. Enter to win tickets now.

This performance will have American Sign Language interpretation.

Please note that Broadway San Diego recommends guests aged 6 and up for this show.

Deadline to enter this raffle is 9 a.m., Friday, June 7. A winner will be announced and contacted on Friday, June 7. Tickets will be electronically transferred to the winner.

Interim CAO Message: Marking a Milestone in Flood Recovery

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A message from Interim Chief Administrative Officer Sarah Aghassi:

Wednesday marked 100 days since the County activated its Emergency Operations Center in response to the Jan. 22 storm. I am so grateful for our County team and your dedication and hard work to support those impacted by the flooding. The effort is led by the Office of Emergency Services at the Emergency Operations Center where dozens of you have been working, and hundreds more are providing support in the field. Most of you are reassigned from your regular duties, knowing that other team members are there to provide back up to continue our day-to-day operations.

I can’t begin to measure the impact of your efforts, but here are some figures to highlight your amazing work:

  • More than 300 team members were temporarily reassigned from daily jobs to support residents in all impacted jurisdictions.

  • Additionally, nearly 80 employees from 26 County departments have been temporarily reassigned to the County Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the regional response and recovery.  

  • The County sheltered 896 households representing 2,600 people at 68 hotels at the operational peak of the program.

  • Team members attended 39 community meetings.

  • Staff responded to 2,000 phone calls providing information and assistance to those in the Emergency Temporary Lodging Program.

  • Staff informed the community about the storm recovery through 44 articles, 35 informational flyers and 430 social media posts.

  • Thanks to your generosity, the County Employees’ Charitable Organization (CECO) distributed $36,000 worth of grants to 74 members of our team who were impacted by the January storms.

  • As of April 23, the County allocated $19.6 million in aid to the community.

The support for those in our communities impacted by the flood will continue – the Board of Supervisors recently extended the Emergency Temporary Lodging Program through June 21.

Know that your dedication is appreciated, whether you are directly supporting flood recovery or you are keeping the rest of the County’s operations running while so many are reassigned. Your commitment to public service is unmatched, and I thank you.