Supervisors tap Nicole Coburn for next county executive officer

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved Nicole D. Coburn to assume the role of county executive officer, replacing Carlos Palacios as he heads toward retirement.

Coburn has served as assistant county executive officer since 2017. Once appointed, she’ll be the second woman in the county’s history to serve as county executive officer. The first was Susan Mauriello, who served from 1989 through July 2017. According to the county’s announcement released on Wednesday, 139 candidates from across the country applied for the role. There was a two-day selection process with the board, and an interview with a panel of community stakeholders from throughout the county. Coburn was the unanimous choice of both groups.

Coburn enters the top role in a tumultuous time. This year’s budget hearings were defined by concerns about cuts and the potential for layoffs and program reductions, particularly within the Health Services Agency and community-based programs like the Mental Health Client Action Network. Chaos flowing from the federal government, as the Trump administration attempts to influence local government priorities by leveraging federal funding, shows no signs of subsiding and could hurt a number of programs including Medicaid, food assistance, and FEMA reimbursements.

During her tenure as assistant county executive officer, Coburn oversaw everything from public safety and justice to legislative affairs and budget management. She led the creation of the county’s first strategic and operational plans, which were designed to strengthen collaboration and accountability between county departments and community partners. Coburn also advanced equity and representation-oriented programs like the Youth Advisory Task Force and the A Santa Cruz County Like Me initiative, which examines the representation of various demographics in the county’s boards and commissions.

“Santa Cruz County is a community of resilience, creativity, and compassion,” Coburn said in the release. “I’m deeply honored to continue serving our residents, supporting our workforce, and collaborating with our partners as County Executive Officer. Together, we will build on our foundation of transparency, accountability and innovation to make this a place where every resident can thrive and belong.”

The supervisors who chose Coburn praised her work for the county.

“Nicole Coburn has demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity, and a deep understanding of the values that define our community,” Board of Supervisors Chair Felipe Hernandez said in the release. “Her collaborative spirit, fiscal expertise, and commitment to equity will serve the county well as we continue to address housing, infrastructure, and climate resilience challenges together.”

“The County will be in very good hands with Nicole at the helm,” said Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Monica Martinez in the release. “She brings a deep commitment to collaboration, equity and service, and upholds the highest ethical standards.”

The process for selecting Palacios’ successor was largely quiet with few public updates before the announcement this week. District 1 Supervisor Manu Koenig said this is the standard approach. He said this is mainly because many applicants don’t want their employers to know they are actively interviewing for a new position: “If you can find any other public agency hiring in a different way, I’d love to know it.”

Koenig added that the board did make a concerted effort to ask community stakeholders and partners for input on what is important to them, as they work closely with the county executive’s office.

The board of supervisors is expected to formally approve Coburn’s hiring at its Oct. 21 meeting. Palacios, who is retiring after more than eight years in the role, will stay through Dec. 5 to help with the transition.

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