Pleasanton assistant city manager retiring after 22 years

PLEASANTON — Pleasanton Assistant City Manager Pamela Ott is retiring from the city after 22 years.

Ott’s last day will be Friday, and her successor, Deputy City Manager Alexa Jeffress, will replace her on July 1, a city news release said last week.

“Pamela has been a pillar of leadership in Pleasanton, helping advance complex initiatives while always keeping the community’s needs and interests at the forefront,” City Manager Gerry Beaudin said in a statement. “Her thoughtful guidance and dedication to public service will be greatly missed.”

Ott started working for the city in 2003 as Pleasanton’s economic development manager. She would later serve as director of economic development and community engagement before a promotion to deputy city manager in 2020. She served in her current role since 2021.

Ott was “pivotal” in her oversight of the city’s public works, community development, business licensing, economic development and other functions of government, officials said in the release. She also helped manage major city projects, including the completion of the Workday headquarters, the Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone, a business development which is now home to the new Costco.

Before working for the city, Ott served as executive director of the Pleasanton Downtown Association, and had 10 years of experience in retail banking management, according to the city’s website.

Jeffress, Ott’s successor, joined Pleasanton’s staff in February 2023 as deputy city manager. Jeffress formerly worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, BRIDGE Housing in San Francisco and as a director of the economic and workforce development department at the city of Oakland.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature from Columbia University and a law degree from the UC Law San Francisco. She is also a member of the California State Bar.

Beaudin said Jeffress is an “excellent fit” for the job and the city is “fortunate to have Alexa step into this important role.”