HERSTORY! Sacramento Appoints Its First Black Woman City Manager

The Sacramento City Council appointed Maraskeshia Smith as city manager, making her the first Black woman in the position. 

Following a nationwide search that began in January with more than 100 candidates, city leaders chose the Kentucky native, who brings over two decades of experience in public service.

“I accept the role of City Manager for the City of Sacramento with deep gratitude and humility,” Smith said. “Sacramento is a city characterized by its resilience, diversity, and ambition, a true mosaic of cultures, backgrounds, and ideas, all unified by a common goal for progress and prosperity,” Smith said in a statement obtained by Sacramento City Express. 

In her role as city manager, Smith will oversee nearly 6,000 full-time and part-time employees and manage an annual operating budget of $1.6 billion. 

Mayor Kevin McCarty welcomed Smith to her new role, praising her as an “accomplished and transformative leader” well-suited for the position.

City Council has appointed Maraskeshia Smith as City Manager.

We’re honored to welcome her to the team. She is an accomplished leader & dedicated public servant.

Her appointment is effective Jan 2026 https://t.co/NP0jGoLJ9D.

— Sac Mayor Kevin McCarty (@MayorMcCarty) September 30, 2025

At the September 30 news conference, Smith addressed the challenges involved in tackling homelessness in the city, noting that the cost of building new housing has become nearly unsustainable, even when developers receive multiple funding sources. She praised the City Council for considering the tiny homes project and emphasized that the city needs to implement additional measures and ideas.

“So we have to look at creative solutions and innovative solutions in order to deal with challenging solutions,” she said. “It’s going to take the region. It’s going to take partnership. It’s going to take creativity, coordination, and compassion for us to continue to move that needle forward,” Smith noted. 

Smith holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Eastern Kentucky University. She has served as Deputy Director and Director of Public Works in Cincinnati, Assistant City Administrator in Oakland, and Deputy City Manager in Stockton. She is currently the City Manager of Santa Rosa, California. Smith will begin her role in January 2026.

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