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Council confirms Brynn Kervin as executive director of the Ethics Commission
Summary
After a national recruitment led by CPS HR, the Ethics Commission recommended Brynn Kervin to replace retiring director Sharon Spivak; council confirmed the appointment unanimously and Kervin pledged to emphasize public education and staff support.
The City Council unanimously confirmed Brynn Kervin as the next executive director of the San Diego Ethics Commission on Nov. 19 after the commission's recruitment process and a presentation by commission chair Paul Cooper and recruitment firm CPS HR.
The process: Paul Cooper said the commission ran a national search that produced 126 resumes and a screened pool of qualified candidates; an ad-hoc commission committee interviewed finalists and moved two to reference checks before unanimously appointing Kervin.
Kervin's background and priorities: Kervin, a longtime prosecutor and ethics coordinator in a district attorney's office, told the council she plans to "meet the needs of the staff so that they can do their jobs effectively" and emphasized education, transparency and continuity with outgoing director Sharon Spivak. The commission proposed a start date of Jan. 7, 2025 with a three-month overlap for training and Spivak's retirement in March 2025.
Why it matters: The appointment follows adoption of Measure D (which will change appointment procedures in the future); councilmembers noted this was likely the last council confirmation of an ethics director under the old rules. Members praised Spivak's service and expressed confidence in Kervin's ability to continue public-facing training and investigations.
Action: The council confirmed the appointment by unanimous recorded vote with the usual attendance noted. Kervin said her aim is to foster public confidence and strengthen training programs for elected officials, appointees and staff.
Next steps: Kervin will begin training under Spivak in January and assume full responsibilities after Spivak's retirement; the council and commission will monitor transition and the impact of Measure D on future appointments.
