New appointment fills vacancy to complete staffing of City Manager’s Office

RICHARDSON – City Manager Don Magner has appointed Dannette Garcia to serve as assistant city manager, filling the last vacancy left in the City Manager’s Office since COVID-related budget cuts impacted staffing levels across the organization. Garcia comes to the City of Richardson from Parker, CO, where she worked as assistant town manager. Garcia’s first day in Richardson will be Nov. 30.

“We are excited Dannette is joining our team as an assistant city manager,” Magner said. “Dannette has experience in nearly every facet of local government, and her knowledge and years of experience along with her customer-service approach to overseeing municipal programs and services makes her an excellent choice to lead in our organization.”

Garcia has 17 years of combined municipal government and private sector experience, most recently in Parker, Colo., where, as assistant town manager she supported the municipal court, communications, community engagement, legislative affairs and special events operations. Prior to joining Parker, Garcia worked for three years in the City of Greenwood Village, Colo. in public works, where she gained experience in trash and recycling operations, streets maintenance operations, customer service and complaint resolution, purchasing, and municipal infrastructure asset management. She began her career in municipal government with the Town of Addison, Texas, where she worked her way up from a city management intern to a special projects management position and eventually as assistant to the city manager. Prior to her work in government, she worked as a director of business development for Sceptre Hospitality Resources and as a sales manager for Westin Hotels and Resorts.

“I am excited to move back to Texas and to call Richardson my new home where I know I will be welcomed with open arms,” Garcia said. “I feel fortunate to join the City of Richardson. The organization has a long history of delivering excellent public services. I am honored to join the city manager’s office team to serve and support the employees and the entire community.”

Garcia has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master of Public Administration, both from the University of North Texas. She has served on the American Public Works Association (APWA) Colorado Chapter Annual Conference Committee, International City and County Manager’s Association (ICMA) Advisory Board on Graduate Education, ICMA Chapter Mentor, Urban Management Assistants of North Texas (UMANT) Executive Committee and Scholarship Chair, and Colorado City and County Manager’s Association (CCCMA) Art of Management Committee.