CITY OF STOCKTON ANNOUNCES THREE KEY LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS
01/07/2026
STOCKTON, Calif. – Three seasoned public administrators have been selected to fill critical leadership roles within the City of Stockton, bringing decades of combined municipal experience to the organization.
Audree V. Jones-Taylor was appointed as Interim Director of the Community Services Department beginning December 15, 2025. Her four-decade career includes serving as Director of Oakland Parks and Recreation and Chief of Staff for Baltimore's Department of Public Works. Jones-Taylor has also held senior positions in San Bernardino, Long Beach, San Francisco, and Marin City, where she championed youth development programs, environmental justice initiatives, and expanded public access to parks and recreation facilities. She earned her Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from St. Mary's College of California and her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Redlands. Beyond her public service work, Jones-Taylor has authored children's books and serves as a mentor.
Peni Basalusalu assumes the role of Public Works Director on December 22, 2025. Basalusalu previously worked for Stockton's Parks and Recreation Department for 3.5 years, with nearly ten years of experience in the Parks and Recreation field. He has been a city resident since 2003. His two-decade career in municipal government includes positions as analyst, manager, deputy director, and director across multiple California jurisdictions, including Richmond, Vallejo, Galt, Patterson, Waterford, and Manteca. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director of Public Works in Berkeley. Basalusalu holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University-Hawaii and a Master of Public Administration from Brigham Young University. He and his wife Amy have four children, three born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Stockton.
Gilbert Garcia assumes the Chief Financial Officer position on December 22, 2025, marking his return to the city where he launched his public sector career in 1997. The Stockton native has more than two decades of municipal finance leadership, including roles as Finance Director and CFO in Lincoln, Ventura, and Huntington Beach, as well as Assistant Budget Director in Oakland. His background encompasses operational and capital budgeting, strategic financial planning, treasury operations, grants management, and financial reporting. During his earlier years with Stockton, Garcia gained experience across multiple departments, including Police, Public Works, Budget, and Accounting.
All City of Stockton News Releases can be found on the City of Stockton website. Stockton Newsroom
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