SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Aug. 13, 2024) – City Manager David White announced the appointment of Dana Brown to lead the Human Resources Department, following a nationwide recruitment.

Beginning the human resources chapter of her career at Los Angeles World Airports, Brown has nearly four decades of public service experience. She most recently served as general manager of the Personnel Department for the City of Los Angeles, where she oversaw over 600 full-time employees engaged in recruitment, examining, hiring, and training, including for employees in public safety and the Department of Water and Power.

Brown has held a number of leadership positions in the city of Los Angeles, including serving as chief employee relations officer, general manager of the Department of Animal Services, and human resources director at both the L.A. Zoo and Los Angeles Fire Department.

She has been a keynote speaker at various human resources professional organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for the Public Sector Human Resources Association of Southern California (PSHRA-SC), where she engages with local agencies to learn best practices and tools to elevate the employment experience.

“Leading the recruitment, hiring, and retention of our workforce is a vital role in delivering high-quality services to our community,” White said. “Dana’s leadership and experience will strengthen the great work of the department and set Santa Monica up for success in building a strong and resilient workforce.”

As director of human resources, Brown will serve as a member of the city’s executive team and lead policy direction of the department, which oversees labor contract negotiations and administration, employee relations, recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, training, organizational development, succession planning, and employee benefits.

Brown will also serve as secretary for the Santa Monica Personnel Board. “I am thrilled to join the team of incredible public service professionals with the city of Santa Monica,” Brown said. “The Human Resources Department plays a crucial role in bringing city services to life and I look forward to the teamwork and embracing working with people all across the organization.”

Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from California State University, Dominguez Hills.  She will join the city effective Oct. 6, with an annual salary of $253,680.