Monique le Conge Ziesenhenne, who in 2011 was hired to serve as Palo Alto's library director, is about to take on a new role as assistant city manager, City Manager Ed Shikada announced Thursday.
City Manager Ed Shikada has tapped Ziesenhenne to be the new assistant city manager, a position that was last held by Shikada himself and that has remained vacant since December 2018. The promotion, which the City Council is set to approve on Nov. 4, is the latest in a series of transitions for Ziesenhenne, who in March 2017 was temporarily assigned to oversee the Community Services Department even as she remained in charge of the library system.
In May, Shikada appointed Ziesenhenne as interim assistant city manager. Now, she is preparing to lose the "interim" tag and officially take over the second-highest position at City Hall. Before coming to Palo Alto, she served as director of library and cultural services in the city of Richmond. She has 31 years of experience in local government.
Zeisenhenne said in a statement that she is very excited to continue working with Shikada. She called her eight years as library director "wonderful."
"We've achieved a lot together and have much to be proud of," Ziesenhenne said. "I look forward to continuing to support the City in my new role and am confident we can continue to advance the City Council's priorities and deliver exceptional City services to our community every day."
According to a report from the Human Resources Department, she was selected as a finalist after a "comprehensive and competitive nationwide executive recruitment" that was completed in September. Ziesenhenne, who in 2017 earned a doctorate in managerial leadership in information professions from Simmons University, will receive an annual salary of $258,554.
In a statement released Thursday, Shikada said he was "thrilled" to announce this selection and that he looks forward to working with Ziesenhenne to ensure effectiveness of city services.
"Monique is an extraordinary manager, and her unique experience with lifelong learning and community enrichment programs are directly aligned with Palo Alto community values," Shikada said. "This advanced her as a top candidate in our competitive search process."
The city plans to start its recruiting process for a new library director later this year. Gayathri Kanth, the city's current assistant library director, will be acting library director in the interim.
Comments
Registered user
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 25, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Registered user
on Oct 25, 2019 at 7:30 pm
It's always nice to see promotions from within any organization. Congratulations Ms. Ziesenhenne!
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Oct 25, 2019 at 10:51 pm
on Oct 25, 2019 at 10:51 pm
Wow! Seems the ghost of June Fleming has resurrected. Guess Palo Alto can't learn from its mistakes.
another community
on Oct 26, 2019 at 5:47 pm
on Oct 26, 2019 at 5:47 pm
@Once-Is-Not-Enough - I don't understand your comment. Ms. Ziesenhenne was hired quite a few years after June Fleming had left. I have had interactions with Ms. Ziesenhenne and know her to be very intelligent. She is a great choice for the position.
Crescent Park
on Oct 26, 2019 at 7:04 pm
on Oct 26, 2019 at 7:04 pm
@Resident -- If you say so. Hasn't exactly been my experience.
What has been my experience is more in line with the current op-ed from Councilwoman Cormack wrote yesterday. Ms. Cormack's op-ed reports that Ms. le Conge Ziesenhenne, upon the reopening of Mitchell Park Library, told her: "You know, when you die they will name this after you."
Good to know what it takes to get ahead in our City Hall these days. That said, Ms. LCZ probably wouldn't have done that if she knew her full-barreled sycophancy and hyperbole was going to be made public.