The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea on Friday introduced Shari as a new project manager for the Public Works team.

Shari, whom city leaders identified as joining the Public Works team, told the council, “thank you for this opportunity” and said she is “a civil engineer and I have about 2 decades of experience working with other municipalities in the Bay Area,” naming San Jose, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Gilroy as previous employers.

The introduction came during routine staff updates at the Oct. 17 meeting. Mayor Byrne said the council was “very, very happy to have you, Shari” and called her “an incredibly sweet person,” praising her background and fit with Carmel’s coastal and environmental priorities.

Why it matters: The city framed the hire as part of a broader year of recruitment that included new public works and community development leadership. Council members said the addition will support ongoing infrastructure and sustainability projects that require project-management capacity.

What council and staff said: At the meeting staff noted multiple recruitments this year, including a public works director and a community development director, and described this hire as filling a project-management role within that expanded team. Shari emphasized public service as a throughline in her career and cited an interest in environmental and sustainability issues that affect both community and natural areas.

Process and status: The meeting recorded the introduction and remarks by Shari and by Mayor Byrne; no formal council vote or personnel resolution was presented on the record during the transcript excerpt. The announcement was presented as a staff update rather than an agenda item requiring a formal action.

Community impact and next steps: Council members encouraged residents to welcome Shari around town. Staff did not provide an implementation timeline or a public-contact email during the remarks; those details were not specified in the meeting record.

Ending note: The introduction was part of broader staff updates at the meeting, which also included public-safety and community-event announcements.