South Gate introduces new hires and promotions including community development director and police officer promotion

City officials introduced four full-time employees the council listed as hired or promoted during April 2024 and provided brief remarks about their backgrounds.

City Manager Rob Houston introduced Gabriel Perez as a new hire in community development. Houston said Perez has more than 20 years of experience in urban planning and community development and that his most recent role was development services director for the city of Coachella. Perez said he was "happy to be here" and described himself as optimistic about making "the impossible possible" in South Gate.

Parks and recreation staff introduced Noemi Aguilar Aguilera, a South Gate native who will work in parks and recreation. Karina Reyes was introduced as the city's new marketing coordinator; she holds a bachelor's degree in advertising and public relations from Cal State Dominguez Hills and has already worked on department social media projects. The police department announced the promotion of Priscilla Batros Divas to police officer; she previously served as a dispatcher and police aide and completed the Rio Hondo Police Academy.

The introductions concluded with photos; the agenda item was informational and no formal council vote or policy decision was recorded in the transcript.