City Manager Tom Hatch presented Fairview Park Administrator Cynthia D’Agosta with the City Manager Leadership Award for August at the monthly Meet and Greet on Thursday Aug. 23.

“Cynthia is charged with overseeing one of the city’s most beloved parks,” City Manager Hatch said. “She leads the charge on all aspects of the land management and her role requires her to communicate extensively. She has cultivated strong relationships with community members and additional partner agencies that have ties to Fairview Park. The city is fortunate to have her.”

D’Agosta is also responsible for the Fairview Park Steering Committee, which works to provide the City Council with recommendations on the park, through the assistance of Public Services staff. She has worked to educate the committee on the existing Fairview Park Master Plan, on reviewing all existing and approved Capital Improvement Projects and grants at the park, and to formulate and present a set of recommendations to the City Council specifically related to the implications of Measure AA.

In addition, she coordinates general and special park maintenance, oversees the biological monitoring of all sensitive plant and animal species in the park, communicates with local neighbors and stakeholders and assures compliance with state and federal regulations and organizes nature-based educational and volunteer opportunities.

D’Agosta began with the City in September of 2017 as the Fairview Park Administrator.

Her past work experience includes management and design of regional scale urban open spaces for both non- profits and government entities such as the Los Angeles County Dept. of Parks & Recreation, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the National Parks Service and the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority.

D’Agosta is a native Californian and urban open space planner, landscape architect and artist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in science and fine arts from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

In addition to honoring D’Agosta, City Manager Hatch welcomed several new hires and congratulated others on promotions.

New hires include John Begin, who was hired to work as an Outreach Worker on the city’s Network for Homeless Solutions team. Also Ronald Dam moved from part time to full time as the city’s Video Production Specialist.

In the Finance Department, Jennifer King was recognized as the new Assistant Finance Director and Arnold Antonio is the new Fire Department Code Enforcement Officer. In the Parks & Community Services Department Tai Pace is a new Recreation Leader III and in Public Services Hector Soriano is a new Engineering Technician III.

Promotions Include Carlos Henriquez who upgraded to Equipment Mechanic II, Paul Mackinen to Lead Maintenance Worker and Dylan Sickler to Fire Protection Specialist.