San Rafael City Manager Placed on Leave
San Rafael's city council has placed City Manager Cristine Alilovich on leave in an abrupt leadership change. An acting city manager has been appointed, but the city has not disclosed the reasons for the transition.
- Cristine Alilovich was appointed as San Rafael's City Manager effective June 1, 2023, following the retirement of her predecessor, Jim Schutz. Her initial contract was for a term ending May 31, 2025. - Upon her appointment, Alilovich's starting base salary was set at $283,992 annually, which was the same as the outgoing city manager. An amendment to her employment agreement in late 2024 included a 4% equity adjustment effective July 1, 2024, and a further 6% equity adjustment effective January 1, 2025. - Alilovich has over 25 years of experience in municipal government. Before becoming City Manager, she served as San Rafael's Assistant City Manager for eight years. - Her prior experience includes roles as the Assistant Director of Finance for the County of Marin and nine years with the County of Sonoma in human resources, risk management, and budget. - The San Rafael City Council held a special closed session meeting on February 11, 2026, just before the public announcement of the leadership change. - The city has two Assistant City Managers, John Stefanski, who was hired in July 2023, and Angela Robinson Piñon, who was hired in September 2023. - During her tenure as Assistant City Manager, Alilovich had direct management oversight of several key departments, including Finance, Human Resources, and the Office of Emergency Services. She also led significant projects such as the construction of the Public Safety Center and the city's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. - Alilovich holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University.
