KING CITY — Doreen Liberto has been appointed as King City’s full-time community development director effective Jan. 2, 2024.
The City of King has been contracting for part-time community development director services for the past 20 years, but the King City Council recently approved the creation of a full-time community development director position in the current budget.
“This will be an important step in the City’s efforts to enhance services to its customers and to facilitate development to address vital economic development, housing, commercial and job creation needs,” according to City Manager Steve Adams.
Liberto has extensive experience and expertise in city planning. She has served as the City’s contract community development director since 2003, while in her role as owner/president of Earth Design International (EDI), which will be inactive after 25 years of land use planning, mediation and facilitation services.
During that period, Liberto performed a variety of other high-level planning work for the counties of San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino and Riverside and the cities of Atascadero, Morro Bay, Solvang, Desert Hot Springs and others.
She has also served as an adjunct instructor at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, community development director for the City of Arroyo Grande, city planner for Moreno Valley, and Environmental Specialist for San Bernardino County. EDI also worked for the Bureau of Land Management, Camp San Luis Obispo and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, San Luis Obispo Council of Governments and other private and nonprofit entities.
“It is a privilege and honor to join the King City management team,” Liberto said. “I look forward to collaborating with the residents, businesses and other stakeholders on projects that will shape the City’s quality of life.”
Liberto was selected following an extensive recruitment process and a unanimous recommendation by a comprehensive panel of professional, community and City representatives.
“I am very excited to make this appointment, and the City is extremely fortunate,” Adams said. “Ms. Liberto is uniquely qualified given her level of experience, expertise and commitment to King City. She has also built outstanding relationships with City staff, officials and the community. This will provide a seamless transition and greatly enhance the City’s operations.”
