Cathy Capriola – Vice President of Strategy

Cathy Capriola is a trusted advisor, executive coach, and facilitator with over 30 years of leadership experience in local government. As Vice President of Strategy and Practice Manager for Coaching, Training, and Leadership Development at MRG, she leads a portfolio of services that support executives, management teams, and entire organizations in becoming more aligned, resilient, and effective.

Cathy’s consulting practice focuses on organizational assessments, strategic planning, leadership development, and executive team alignment. She brings a strengths-based, co-creative approach to helping public agencies navigate complex challenges and build high-performing teams. Cathy has analyzed organizational assessments for cities, counties, and non-profits to deliver impactful organizational changes.  She creates and facilitates engaging council and staff retreats, training, and multi-session leadership academies. Cathy is also an executive coach who helps leaders find their strengths/superpowers while also bolstering areas of refinement.  Her work is grounded in deep operational knowledge and a passion for developing people and systems that serve the public well.

As a consultant, she has successfully partnered with a range of cities, counties, and special districts, including Palo Alto, Berkeley, Healdsburg, San Rafael, San Ramon, Pittsburg, Santa Rosa, and Rocklin, as well as research institutions and nonprofits. Her recent work, leading and designing an “Employer of Choice” roadmap for the City of Berkeley, helped transform services and culture.  Cathy has conducted numerous assessments of administrative service functions, including finance and HR.

Cathy served as City Manager of Sonoma, Interim City Manager and Assistant City Manager of Novato, and as a department head in Citrus Heights and Davis. She has led major organizational initiatives, including rebuilding HR systems, overhauling financial operations, implementing technology upgrades, and improving public engagement. She is also recognized for her work in strategic labor relations and interdepartmental collaboration.

Cathy is the co-facilitator of UpNext, a leadership development program for emerging local government executives—open to all genders—delivered in partnership with MMANC. She regularly coaches emerging and seasoned leaders, with a particular focus on helping executives develop political astuteness, executive presence, and resilience in complex environments.

Cathy holds a Master’s in Public and Private Management from Yale University’s School of Management and is a graduate of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. In 2024, she was honored with the MMANC Legacy Award in recognition of her sustained contributions to MMANC and her deep commitment to excellence, leadership, and service in local government. She is a sought-after speaker, retreat facilitator, and thought partner to public sector leaders across California.