Three new hires at Poway City Hall
Three new hires at Poway City Hall have been announced by City Manager Dan Singer.
Wendy Kasterman is the city’s new administrative services director. Jim Lim is the new planning manager. Rene Carmichael is the city’s first community outreach coordinator.
Kaserman will oversee the city’s human resources, finance, billing and information technology services.
She was the assistant to the city manager/fiscal services manager for her hometown of San Marcos. Her responsibilities included budget and contract oversight, management of the city’s performance measurement program, and development of policies and procedures.
She also worked in Arizona for the town of Queen Creek and League of Arizona Cities and Towns. Kaserman earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Arizona State University and a master of public administration degree from the University of Arizona.
Her starting annual salary is $135,217.
“I am excited to join the City of Poway,” Kaserman said. “I look forward to working with the city to deliver exceptional service to the community, while continuing our focus as good fiscal stewards of the resources we are responsible for managing.”
Singer said, “Wendy clearly stood out in a field of strong candidates. We are very excited to have Wendy join us and are impressed by her enthusiasm for public service. She will truly be an asset to the community.”
Lim will assist in planning, managing and overseeing the city’s planning, building and code compliance services.
Over the past 25 years, Lim has worked for the cities of Arcadia, Compton and Indio. Prior to joining Poway, he was interim development services director for the City of Hesperia. Lim earned a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s degree in public administration from National University. He also holds certifications in transportation planning for air quality and marketing and economic development.
A native of San Diego County, Lim recently moved back to the area.
Lim’s starting salary is $115,704.
“Having grown up in San Diego, this is an extraordinary opportunity for me to come back to an area that was so special to me,” Lim said. “Poway’s history, arts, culture, and natural beauty are truly unique and I am honored to be selected as Poway’s city planner. I am eager to work with the City Council, city management, staff and the community as we plan for Poway’s future.”
In her newly created part-time position, Carmichael will be working to strengthen the city’s communications with residents and businesses.
Carmichael most recently worked as a freelance public relations professional with an emphasis in strategic communications and publications. She has worked for local government with the County of San Diego’s Media and Public Relations department and started her public relations career at the American Red Cross in San Diego. She is a graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in business administration.
Carmichael will make $35,331 per year working 20 hours per week.
“Poway is a genuinely wonderful community that I’ve been connected to most of my life,” Carmichael said. “I’m looking forward to helping the city share its story.”