Turnover among Stockton City Hall’s top managers that began in 2025 has continued this year, now with the departure of the head of human resources.
The city announced May 20 that Human Resources Director Rosemary Rivas will depart Stockton to assume the same role in Elk Grove. Deputy Human Resources Director Alecia Figueroa will lead the department in an acting capacity while the city searches for a permanent human resources director.
Rivas will leave Stockton on May 29, according to a city news release, and begin her new role in Elk Grove on June 1 following a national recruitment process, Elk Grove officials said.
Amid ongoing turmoil during Mayor Christina Fugazi’s administration, at least three top city officials have left their positions in recent months. City spokesperson Tony Mannor confirmed in January that deputy city managers Chad Reed and Christy Courtney had left the city, though he did not say when the departures occurred or why. Former City Attorney Lori Asuncion also resigned in January.
“I want to lead human resources with integrity, compassion and purpose while supporting employees and helping create a city and community where people thrive at work, enjoy where they live and feel proud to raise their families,” Rivas said in an Elk Grove city announcement.
Rivas joined Stockton five years ago as deputy human resources director and was later promoted to director. She has more than 15 years of public sector experience, including various human resources and administrative positions with the Hayward Unified School District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a human resources management certificate from the University of Phoenix.
Rivas’ exit follows a period of heightened attention on Stockton’s human resources department. She has appeared several times before the Stockton City Council since April 2025 as the city navigated payroll errors and scrutiny of its budget restructuring.
At a Feb. 18 Council Audit Committee meeting, Rivas said Stockton paid more than $900,000 in penalties since 2023 for failing to make timely payroll tax payments and submit required reports. The penalties stemmed from payroll obligations, including retirement reporting to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and state and federal tax payments.
Rivas was also one of 10 city officials interviewed by the San Francisco-based Renne Public Law Group as part of an investigation into the reallocation of funds from the Office of Performance and Data Analytics to the Office of Public Transparency, Information and Communication, as well as related personnel decisions, including whether hiring and compensation practices violated city policy.
The investigation’s findings were released in April. It found that the budget restructuring under former Interim City Manager Steve Colangelo did not violate policy but lacked transparency and raised hiring concerns.
“Rosemary has been a tremendous part of this organization, and her departure is a real loss for Stockton,” City Manager Johnny Ford said in a statement. “She cared deeply about our employees and showed up every day ready to do the work. I want to congratulate her on this next opportunity with the city of Elk Grove. They are getting someone special.”
Mayor Christina Fugazi congratulated Rivas and thanked her for her service to the city in a statement.
“Rosemary has served the people of Stockton with dedication and heart, and our employees have been better for it,” Fugazi said. “She has been a steady professional and a genuine colleague, and we are sad to see her go.”
In Elk Grove, City Manager Jason Behrmann said Rivas’ experience and leadership style align with the city’s focus on providing public service and fostering a supportive workplace culture.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Rivas to our executive leadership team,” Behrmann said. “Rosemary has built a reputation as a collaborative and innovative leader who values strong relationships, employee engagement and high-performing teams.”
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton staff departures continue as HR director accepts Elk Grove job
Reporting by Hannah Workman, The Stockton Record / The Record
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