City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison announced that Alexander Gonzalez, an experienced government field representative and Navy Veteran, has been hired as the City of Costa Mesa’s new Chief of Staff.

“Alex’s experience in government makes him uniquely qualified for this job,” City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said. “The residents of Costa Mesa will find him to be a great resource as he assists the Mayor and City Council in addressing concerns from constituents. We are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”

Gonzalez was one of numerous candidates who applied for the Chief of Staff position.

“Mr. Gonzalez joins our team with a unique working knowledge of Costa Mesa constituent issues as a long-time resident and former Congressional staff member,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “Couple that with his experience and understanding of Veterans issues, especially those experiencing homelessness, and his multilingual skills, he will right away be able to work on our council priorities.”

In this role, Gonzalez will be responsible for managing constituent services, legislative research and analysis and coordination with Federal and State elected officials among other duties.

Gonzalez most recently worked as a Military and Veteran’s Field Representative in the Office of former U.S. Representative Harley Rouda, where he engaged with constituents regarding international affairs, trade, defense, intelligence, veteran’s affairs and labor issues and collaborated with federal, state and local organizations at the Orange County Veterans Service Office.

He also worked as an Intelligence Specialist with the United States Navy.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Relations with a Minor in Asian Studies from Temple University in Japan. He replaces former Chief of Staff Connor Lock, who left the City in December.