San Mateo County Manager Mike Callagy is recommending Deputy County Counsel Justin Mates as a new deputy in his office, filling a vacancy created when he himself was appointed to the County’s top administrative position.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to confirm the appointment at its Oct. 22 regular meeting and Mates will join the County Manager’s Office in November. Mates will be one of three deputy county managers; they and the county manager oversee the daily operations of County government, manage its considerable projects and carry out the policies set by the Board of Supervisors.
County Manager Mike Callagy cites Mates’ strong work ethic and vision for the County among the key assets that made him the best candidate for the deputy county manager position.
“Justin has a great acumen for what’s going on and he’s one of those leaders who gets things done,” Callagy said. “Those are attributes I think all outstanding public servants have and those coupled with his exceptional academic and work credentials made him stand out.”
Mates holds a BA in political science from Stanford University and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. After working in the nonprofit sector and as an attorney in private practice, Mates joined the San Mateo County Counsel’s Office in 2012 where he’s represented and consulted with a wide variety of County departments, agencies and partners on projects and programs in areas such as affordable housing, revenue and finance, sea-level rise resiliency and transportation. In 2018, he served for nearly a year as the County’s interim real property manager, during which he oversaw all transactions and strategy for the County’s real estate interests.
Mates said those varied experiences as an attorney for the County help give him a broader perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing the County and inspired him to seek an expanded role in County government.
“I have had the honor to work closely with dedicated County employees across departments and job functions who strive to provide quality services to our County residents on a daily basis,” Mates
said. “I am excited for the opportunity in the County Manager’s Office to work with and support an even broader collection of County employees, as well as community partners and other agencies, to foster innovation and develop creative strategies to ensure that the County continues to serve our residents to the highest standards of public service into the future.”