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Patrick Heisinger will be promoted to Redwood City manager on the last day of the year, pending the city council’s approval of an employment agreement.
Selected by the council after a month-long recruitment process, Heisinger, who is currently the assistant city manager, is expected to fill the shoes of Melissa Stevenson Diaz, who has served as the city manager of Redwood City for a decade and will be retiring Dec. 31.
“Since joining the Redwood City team, I’ve been continually impressed by the City Council’s ambitious agenda, our staff’s professionalism, and the community’s willingness to engage in shaping the City’s future,” Heisinger said. “Redwood City has a strong foundation, and I look forward to continuing to work with this fantastic team to serve our residents and businesses.”
Stevenson Diaz’s salary is just over $405,000, and the incoming city manager’s proposed salary is $390,000.
Heisinger has served as the assistant city manager since 2024, overseeing the many divisions of the city, including transportation, housing, economic development, real estate and community building. He’s spearheaded updates to the city’s business license tax, affordable housing ordinance, and tenant protection ordinance, as well as the implementation of the city’s economic development work plan.
The assistant city manager has also helped hire more than 20 new city employees and reorganize city departments, while leading the Hopeful Horizons Ordinance to address encampments on public property. Heisinger has been responsible for more than $64 million in capital funding across seven areas in the city.
“Patrick is a seasoned local government executive who knows Redwood City well,” said Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos. “He has helped shape the important decisions and long-term planning efforts that keep Redwood City moving forward.”
Before joining Redwood City in 2023, Heisinger served as the interim city manager and assistant city manager for East Palo Alto, where he helped to set city priorities, managed operations and handled labor negotiations. He also directed the construction of two pedestrian bridges to connect the east and west sides of East Palo Alto.
Heisinger’s leadership experience spans Santa Cruz County, the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara, and the City of San Jose. Throughout his career, Redwood City’s assistant city manager has worked with more than $750 million in funding to support infrastructure, affordable housing and community development projects.
Stevenson Diaz announced her retirement on June 24, in a press release, calling her tenure in Redwood City “an honor and a joy.” Under her leadership, the city began construction of the Veterans Memorial Building and Senior Center. She also advocated for a project to reconstruct State Route 84/Highway 101, aiming to reduce congestion and create safer pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.
Following the selection of Heisinger to be the top candidate for Redwood City’s next city manager role, the Redwood City Council must approve his employment agreement at their upcoming public meeting on Nov. 24. The meeting may be accessed in person at the Council Chambers, 1017 Middlefield Road, or online on Zoom with the meeting ID 994 8182 5639.
