As the City says farewell to Leslie Little, outgoing Assistant City Manager for Development Services, Morgan Hill’s City Manager, Christina Turner, announced today the appointment of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Edith Ramirez as the next Assistant City Manager for Development Services for the City of Morgan Hill.

Leslie Little is retiring after 43 years of dedicated public service, the last 10 being dedicated to the City of Morgan Hill, making the community a better place. Leslie will be recognized for her contributions at the December 16th City Council meeting.

Edith Ramirez has 24 years of community development, redevelopment, and economic development experience. Edith has been leading the City’s Economic Development efforts for the last nine years. She has been a key contributor to Downtown’s redevelopment and has led the City with an Economic Development Blueprint— a vision to increase economic prosperity and vitality, assisting with the attraction of multiple commercial and industrial projects. Edith has also supported the City in developing a vision for Tourism and led the Downtown placemaking efforts. More recently, she shepherded the establishment of the City’s first Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID), City broadband services, and currently is helping the Morgan Hill business community access critical resources to help with the impacts of COVID-19. Edith has established positive and meaningful relationships and is well respected amongst Morgan Hill’s development community.

Edith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Administration. Edith was born in Mexico City and immigrated to the Bay Area as a young adult.  She is bilingual and a mother of two young children, and lives in Morgan Hill. 

Edith has a passion for creating sustainable and welcoming communities. Prior to Morgan Hill, she worked for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency for 11 years in Downtown Development, Industrial Development, Housing and Project Management. She also served as Policy Aide and Communications Manager for Council District Six, a community of 100,000 residents and 14 business associations in San Jose. Edith currently serves on the Tourism Business Improvement District Visit Morgan Hill Board, as well as the San Jose SPUR Policy Board and Fairgrounds Management Corporation. She is an active member of the Silicon Valley Economic Development Alliance, the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). 

City Manager Turner said, “I am excited to appoint Edith Ramirez to the Assistant City Manager position. Edith’s passion for and commitment to Morgan Hill is evident in her work. Her experience in economic development, community engagement, stakeholder relations, strategic planning, and facilitation of complex projects will assist the City’s efforts to create a sustainable community. Not only is she a great communicator, but she is also a wonderful collaborator, and her background will enhance our communications and outreach efforts, in particular to the Hispanic community that makes up 31.3% of the population in Morgan Hill.”

As the City’s Assistant City Manager for Development Services, she will oversee the Development Services Department, and provide strategic guidance for the City’s planning, building, housing, and economic development programs, and initiatives. Ms. Ramirez will assume her new role effective January 1, 2021. Due to the current budget constraints the Economic Development Director position which Ms. Ramirez vacates will not be filled and will remain unfunded through the end of the currently adopted biennial budget ending June 30, 2022. This will also allow the organization an opportunity to  better align work programs with current community needs.