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San Mateo County is restructuring its top administrative ranks, adding a second county executive and a second deputy county executive as part of a leadership overhaul approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
The new positions, which take effect Jan. 4, 2026, come as longtime Illiana Rodriguez prepares to retire.
Supervisors appointed Justin Mates and Adam Ely as assistant county executives, and Rocio Kiryczun and Nicholas Calderon as deputy county executives.
“The demands on local government continue to grow, from major capital projects and emergency readiness to the need for deeper community engagement and interagency collaboration,” said County Executive Mike Callagy. “These leaders bring exceptional experience, institutional knowledge, and a deep commitment to public service.”
By increasing the number of assistant county executives and deputy county executives to two each, the county hopes to equip the Executive’s Office with greater oversight of departments and high-impact initiatives and to strengthen succession planning. By eliminating two vacant positions, county officials say the move will increase leadership capacity and generate more than $300,000 in annual savings.
The new leadership structure aligns with the scheduled retirement of the current Assistant County Executive, Iliana Rodriguez. The new team will also oversee the children’s master plan, the childcare strategic plan, customer service improvements, economic development, and coordination of unincorporated services.
A dedicated Deputy County Executive will be assigned to the coast and unincorporated areas of the county for the first time, to increase visibility and resources for those regions. The project development unit will merge with Public Works, eliminating the development unit’s Deputy Director position and saving the county approximately $300,000.
Ely holds a Juris Doctor from University of California, Los Angeles and has served the county as the Director of the Project Development Unit and, since 2022, Deputy County Executive. In his 20 years with the county, he’s strengthened emergency readiness and led domestic violence prevention initiatives, and has delivered projects such as the Navigation Center, County Office Building 3, and the North County Wellness Center.
Mates, who holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, has previously served as Deputy County Attorney and, since 2019, Deputy County Executive. He’s led efforts related to pandemic response, farmworker housing compliance, support for unsheltered residents, budget strategy, emergency operations and accessibility.
Kiryczun has served the county for over 30 years, including seven years as Director of Human Resources. She’s directed the county through recruitment and retention efforts, pandemic operations, labor negotiations, employee engagement, leadership development and organizational well-being.
Calderon has served as the Director of Parks since 2019, which has involved overseeing major capital projects, expanding access to recreation and emboldening community partnerships. Previously, he served as a Senior Legislative Aide to Supervisor Don Horsley, Real Property Services Manager, and Assistant Parks Director.
“The addition of these skilled leaders strengthens San Mateo County’s executive team at a critical time,” said Board President David Canepa. “With this new structure, the County is poised to navigate the complex challenges and advance community priorities in the years ahead.”
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