Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Reorganization of the County Executive Leadership Structure and the Confirmation of Justin Mates and Adam Ely as Assistant County Executives, and of Rocio Kiryczun and Nicholas Calderon as Deputy County Executives
RECOMMENDATIONS:
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Recommendation to:
A) Adopt a resolution authorizing an amendment to Master Salary Resolution 081316 to:
1. Add one Assistant County Executive-Unclassified position; and
2. Delete one Deputy County Executive-Unclassified position; and
3. Delete one vacant Assistant Project Development Director position; and
B) Confirm Justin Mates and Adam Ely as Assistant County Executives; and confirm Rocio Kiryczun and Nicholas Calderon as Deputy County Executives.
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BACKGROUND:
The County Executive Office’s current executive structure consists of the County Executive, one Assistant County Executive, and three Deputy County Executives. One of the Deputy positions has been vacant since 2023, and the current Assistant County Executive is scheduled to retire at the end of December.
A nationwide recruitment effort for Assistant County Executive and Deputy County Executive have already been completed. The County Executive’s appointments, as outlined in the Discussion section, position the County for a period of significant leadership transition. These selections will further strengthen the County’s leadership capacity and succession readiness, support governance efficiency, and address expanding complexity of local government operations. They also enhance the County’s ability to innovate in response to emerging community needs.
DISCUSSION:
1. The addition of a second Assistant County Executive by deleting a vacant Deputy County Executive and Assistant Director of Project Development is essential to ensure leadership continuity, maintain organizational stability during a period of multiple executive transitions and strengthen succession planning. It will allow the County Executive to distribute oversight of departments and initiatives more effectively and support efficient governance. The increasing complexity of local government driven by regulatory demands, regional collaboration needs, and major strategic initiatives requires additional executive capacity to manage high‑impact programs and ensure timely, high‑quality decision‑making. A second Assistant County Executive also enhances long‑term resilience by enabling the organization to manage concurrent priorities, respond effectively during emergencies or leadership absences, and sustain strategic momentum.
These position changes result in a significant salary and benefits savings of $26,448 a month and a reduction of position count for 1200B by one.
2. The Charter requires the Board of Supervisors to confirm appointments of department heads nominated by the County Executive.
The recent recruitment efforts for executive positions were highly successful in identifying strong internal talent, resulting in well-qualified promotions that support continuity, strengthen institutional knowledge, and reinforce the County’s commitment to developing and advancing its workforce. These outcomes further highlight the importance of expanding executive capacity to support and retain emerging leaders.
Resulting from this recruitment, the County Executive has nominated Justin Mates and Adam Ely as the best candidates for promotion to Assistant County Executives, and Rocio Kiryczun and Nicholas Calderon for the position of Deputy County Executive.
Adam Ely - Assistant County Executive
With nearly 20 years of service to San Mateo County, Adam Ely brings deep operational, legal, and executive experience grounded in a lifelong commitment to the community. He has served in key leadership roles in the County - ranging from attorney to Director of the Project Development Unit and currently as Deputy County Executive - consistently driving innovation, collaboration, and results. His accomplishments include strengthening countywide emergency readiness, leading major domestic-violence prevention and response initiatives, and overseeing the County’s largest capital program, delivering complex projects such as the Navigation Center, County Office Building 3, and the North County Wellness Center. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to equity, public service, and improving outcomes for residents - qualities that will make him a successful Assistant County Executive. Mr. Ely has been Deputy County Executive since 2022. He holds a JD and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from UCLA.
Justin Mates - Assistant County Executive
With 13 years of County service, Justin Mates has consistently demonstrated versatile, solutions-oriented leadership across legal, operational, and strategic domains and is poised to continue this in his new role as Assistant County Executive. His experience spans advising nearly all County departments as a Deputy County Attorney on complex issues including public finance, intergovernmental agreements, affordable housing, and charter matters, followed by serving as interim Real Property Manager, where he led high-stakes negotiations such as the acquisition of the final parcel needed for COB3. He was promoted to Deputy County Executive in 2019 and in this capacity, he supports the Board and County Executive’s initiatives and coordinates work across community-serving departments. He has worked on pandemic response, farmworker housing compliance efforts, and coordination of services for unsheltered residents, complemented by contributions to major budget strategies, emergency operations, accessibility initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations that advance County priorities. Mr. Mates holds a JD from Harvard Law School and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stanford University.
Nicholas Calderon - Deputy County Executive
Nicholas Calderon started his career in the County as Senior Legislative Aide to the Office of Supervisor Don Horsley, after which he was promoted to Real Property Services Manager, then Assistant Parks Director and then to his current role as Director of Parks. In his current role, he has led the San Mateo County Parks Department through a period of significant transformation, delivering major capital projects, expanding recreation access, and strengthening partnerships across diverse communities. As Parks Director, he oversaw development of Don Horsley County Park, improved access for underserved residents, modernized departmental operations, and steered the organization through the pandemic and wildfire response. He has demonstrated ability to resolve complex stakeholder conflicts and skills in navigating political environments, managing large-scale initiatives, and building trusted relationships. These capabilities equip him as Deputy County Executive to support Board and County Executive priorities, guide departments in project and program development, and advance high-impact initiatives for the County. Mr. Calderon holds a master’s in public administration from Golden Gate University and a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Arizona.
Rocio Kiryczun - Deputy County Executive
As a seasoned public service leader, Rocio Kiryczun has had more than 30 years of experience across multiple County departments, including the past seven years as Director of Human Resources. Beginning her career as a front desk support in the County Executive’s Office, she advanced through roles in Child Support Services, the Superior Court, and County Administration before assuming a series of leadership positions in the Human Resources Department. As HR Director, she has guided the organization through major workforce challenges, from pandemic operations and complex labor negotiations to recruitment and retention challenges while driving initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, wellness, leadership development, and inclusive hiring. Her recent efforts include launching the County’s employer brand, expanding community outreach, modernizing recruitment strategies, enhancing whole-person wellbeing programs, and implementing innovative learning and technology solutions as well as expanding the workforce talent pipeline to support a high-performing workforce. Overall, her deep institutional knowledge, strategic leadership, and demonstrated commitment to the County’s mission position her exceptionally well to serve as Deputy County Executive. Ms. Kiryczun holds a master’s in public administration from California State University, East Bay and a Sociology degree from San Diego State University.
The appointments of the above individuals are effective January 4, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The amendment to the Master Salary Resolution represents an estimated monthly salary and benefits savings of $26,448 or an annual savings of $317,381.
The compensation and benefits for Assistant County Executive and Deputy County Executive positions are set forth in the County’s Resolution establishing the salary and benefits for the unrepresented Management Employees of the County and the Master Salary Resolution approved by this Board.