Bring your lunch and join the LBJ Urban Lab for a 1-1 conversation with interim city manager Jesús Garza! In this "lunch and learn" conversation, Jesus will share his perspective on the policy issues facing Austin and his advice for aspiring policymakers interested in urban policy and city management.
LBJ Alumnus Jesús Garza returned to Austin City Hall in 2023 as Austin's interim city manager, after being unanimously supported by Austin City Council.
A manager of complex organizations, Garza has a deep history of public service. From 1994 to 2002, Jesús served as the city manager for the City of Austin. He led the city during a period of considerable economic and population expansion. His tenure included business development, downtown revitalization, and the transformation of a former Air Force Base into the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. After retiring from the City of Austin, Jesús served as deputy general manager for the Lower Colorado River Authority before becoming chief executive officer of the Seton Healthcare Family.
Jesús has been named Public Administrator of the Year by the American Society for Public Administration/Centex Chapter, Public Official of the Year by Governing magazine, and recently received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He also received the distinction of being named the 2019 Austinite of the Year by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.
Now in his second stint as city manager, Garza is responsible for a $5.5 billion budget for Council consideration and managing its passage and managing a City staff of more than 16,000 employees.