Mary Neilan

Mary Neilan has served local governments for over 30 years, including executive leadership positions in the cities of Novato, St. Helena, Vallejo, and Belvedere. She has experience overseeing nearly every facet of government operations with an emphasis on financial & project management, organizational development, and human resources. As a seasoned City Manager, Mary excels at problem-solving through analysis of work distribution and resource allocation, measured against organizational goals and priorities. Ensuring employees are valued, challenged, and supported is foundational to Mary’s approach to organizational excellence. 

Mary’s consulting work is informed by her understanding of organizational culture and the role it plays in productivity, employee retention, and an agency’s ability to meet policy and operational goals. When clients seek to improve service levels or streamline processes, they often request assessments of staffing levels and department structure, workflow, and support systems. Mary provides analysis and recommendations with technical specificity as well as suggestions that promote open communication, build trust, encourage teamwork, and involve employees in the problem-solving process. When employees feel valued and empowered, improved efficiency and productivity will follow.

Coaching is a key component of Mary’s work. She sees coaching as a means of supporting and developing employees who want to make a difference in their organization and sees their success as a necessary step to achieving organizational excellence. Mary believes there is value in coaching employees at all levels, from new managers to seasoned administrative and professional staff. Her coaching style draws on formal training as a Certified Life Coach as well as her own experience balancing a demanding job and the needs of an extended family.

Mary has six years of experience consulting with local governments on projects involving organizational assessments, facilitations and training, process improvements, strategic planning, and executive coaching. Clients include the cities/towns of Redwood City, Yountville, Carmel, Vallejo, Simi Valley, Newport Beach, and Fairfield. She holds an MPA from Sonoma State University, is an alumnus of the Berkeley Executive Seminar, School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, and is a Certified Life Coach.