As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a journey shaped by both challenge and opportunity — one that has reaffirmed the extraordinary strength of California’s cities and the leaders who serve them. This year has reminded me that effective leadership is not only about what we do, but the conditions in which we thrive.

Leadership has been the continuous strand throughout my professional and personal life — whether as a K-12 superintendent, a council member in Rancho Cucamonga, a board member for my church, or, most recently, as president of the League of California Cities. In each of these roles, I have discovered that leadership is less about style and more about sphere, the arena where we operate at our very best. For me, that sphere has always been where community, collaboration, and possibility intersect.

This year, California cities faced familiar trials — housing pressures, infrastructure needs, and budget uncertainties — alongside emerging issues, from technology disruptions to climate resilience. But no challenge tested our resolve more than the devastating wildfires that swept across our state. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to ash, families were displaced, and lives were tragically lost. These fires were a sobering reminder of the fragility of our environment, but also of the courage and compassion of our first responders, city staff, and community volunteers who stepped forward in the darkest hours.

Through it all, our collective response demonstrated the power of local government to remain the most trusted level of governance. Cities became the first line of relief and recovery — providing shelter, resources, and reassurance when it was needed most.

Serving as your president has underscored the importance of the framework I have carried throughout my leadership journey: educate, engage, and elevate.

Educate: Leadership requires a constant pursuit of learning and an openness to new ideas. This year, that meant sharing lessons on wildfire preparedness, exploring climate-resilient building standards, and strengthening emergency communication systems. The most effective leaders never stop seeking strategies to grow their capacity, especially when lives and livelihoods depend on it.

Engage: The challenges before our cities cannot be solved in isolation. True progress is found in listening, collaborating, and respecting the diverse voices that shape our communities. As wildfires raged, engagement meant standing shoulder-to-shoulder with residents at evacuation shelters, working with state and federal partners, and creating space for community-led recovery efforts.

Elevate: Leadership is about lifting others, sharing credit, and ensuring the next generation of leaders has the tools and confidence to succeed. Nowhere was this clearer than in the solidarity shown between cities. Communities untouched by fire sent aid, personnel, and hope to those most in need — reminding us that leadership is not about the spotlight but about raising others higher.

As we prepare to welcome new leadership in the year ahead, I am confident that Cal Cities will continue to stand as a beacon for collaboration and advocacy. Our unity is our strength. When we speak with one voice — on housing, public safety, infrastructure, fiscal stability, or climate resilience — we amplify the needs of our residents and the hopes of our communities.

It has been an honor to serve as your president. I am grateful for the trust you placed in me, the partnerships we forged, and the progress we made together. The journey of leadership is never finished: It evolves, adapts, and grows with each new challenge. My hope is that each of us continues to discover not only our leadership style, but also the sphere in which we can serve best — grounded always in the principles of educate, engage, and elevate.

Here’s to a future of continued strength, resilience, and possibility for California’s cities.