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Sonoma names new public works director

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Sonoma Valley Sun

Grey-blue Background, smilingSonoma City Manager Cathy Capriola announced today the appointment of Colleen Ferguson as Public Works Director/City Engineer, effective June 14.

Described as an innovative advocate for growth, Ferguson comes to the job after 28 years with the City of Santa Rosa, including the recent Old Courthouse Square project. She replaces Dan Takasugi, who is retiring after a four-year stint.

“I am delighted to welcome Colleen to Sonoma and to the City team,” Capriola said. “Her ethics and professional reputation are well known in Sonoma County among engineering professionals and non-profit partners.”

Ferguson has extensive municipal engineering experience, Capriola said, and she will build on the strong foundation of the current Public Works Department. “Colleen exudes a warm, collaborative, innovative management style to lead the department forward and to work with our community.”

Ferguson brings more than 25 years of extensive experience and increasing levels of responsibility in municipal public works. Most recently, she served as Deputy Director – Capital Projects Engineering for the City of Santa Rosa Department of Transportation and Public Works where she was responsible, with a staff of 55, for design and construction of the City’s water, wastewater, storm drainage, traffic/transportation, buildings, parks and other municipal infrastructure.

One example of her work is the recent construction of Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square project, which opened in April of this year, and brought back a central plaza to become a hub for civic and community activity.

Capriola said Ferguson has been an unwavering advocate for growth and improvement, adopting new methodologies and technologies as they develop to improve service, quality and project delivery.

Prior to joining the City of Santa Rosa, Ferguson worked six years as an engineer with a consulting firm in San Jose after obtaining her B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from San Jose State University. She grew up in Petaluma and completed her first two years of engineering education at Santa Rosa Junior College.

“I’m excited to join the City of Sonoma team and look forward to serving the Sonoma community,” said Ferguson. “My background includes childhood experiences of family fun in Sonoma, just a short drive from our home in Petaluma. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to work for the beautiful and charming City of Sonoma.”

Ferguson is a registered Professional Civil Engineer and a licensed Land Surveyor. She is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Public Works Association. She was honored to be selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers as the 2016 Outstanding Civil Engineer in the Public Sector in the State of California.

Ferguson is a board member of the Valley of the Moon Observatory Association, which operates the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The observatory is named after her father, an avid amateur astronomer who built telescopes, shared his love of astronomy, and was the inspiration for the development of the observatory as an educational and public resource for the community.

When she’s not working or stargazing, Ms. Ferguson enjoys hiking, bicycling, kayaking, dancing, gardening and reading.

 




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