SANTA CRUZ — The city of Santa Cruz on Monday announced that Laura Schmidt will resign from her post as assistant city manager at the beginning of August and will return to the private sector as a consultant.
“Laura’s dedication, strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to the city of Santa Cruz have been invaluable,” said City Manager Matt Huffaker in a statement. “Her ability to navigate complex issues with grace and humor has left a mark on our community and our citywide team and she will be greatly missed.”
Schmidt first joined the city of Santa Cruz team in 2014 as the director of information technology. She stepped up to the assistant city manager role in 2019 after Tina Shull left Santa Cruz to become city manager of Scotts Valley.
Before she was hired as information technology director in 2014, Schmidt held a similar position for Washoe County, Nevada, and also served in senior information technology positions and program management roles for companies such as Hewlett-Packard, PeopleSoft and Palm, among others.
According to the statement from the city, as assistant city manager, Schmidt oversaw many city departments such as the city manager’s office, city clerk’s office, information technology, human resources and finance. Schmidt also led various programs, facilitated ad hoc Santa Cruz City Council committees, managed council onboarding, and contributed to strategic planning initiatives.
Among her notable achievements with the city, Schmidt helped to compose the city’s first 3-year homelessness response plan, the most recent 5-year strategic plan, and the recent adoption of the West Cliff 50-year Community Vision.
“We are grateful for her contributions and wish her the very best in her future endeavors,” said Huffaker. “Her legacy will continue to inspire and guide us for years to come.”
According to the city’s statement, Schmidt’s last day as the assistant city manager is Aug. 2 and the search for her successor will ensue in the coming weeks.
