City Manager Kent Steffens announced that Cherise Brandell, Interim Director of Library and Community Services, will stay on as Director.
Brandell has been Interim Director since June after the departure of Cynthia Bojorquez. Brandell’s appointment to Library and Community Services Director becomes effective Nov. 18.
“Cherise is a well-regarded recreation professional with a wealth of experience. We are lucky she has agreed to come out of retirement to join our team permanently,” said Steffens. “Her collaborative style and strong public engagement experience, has energized the department and contributed to our executive team initiatives.”
Brandell retired from the City of Menlo Park in 2018 after 9 years as the Community Services Director, while also working as a consultant and adjunct professor at San Francisco State University. She served as the Community Engagement Manager before stepping into the Director role.
“Sunnyvale is a truly remarkable community where the values of diversity and inclusion are seen not only in decision-making, but in the way residents and businesses interact every day.” said Brandell. “Library and Community Services is at the forefront of this community building work, and I am so grateful to be joining an amazing team focused on creating a healthy, engaged community through our work fostering lifelong learning and play for all.”
Brandell holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Western Michigan University with a Masters in Communication Arts and Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan.