About Jim

Prior to joining Raftelis, Jim had a long and successful local government career in four California cities. Most recently, he served as City Administrator of Santa Barbara from 2001 to 2014. During his tenure, he successfully led the City through the 2008-10 recession; completion of a General Plan update; two major wildland fires; and the dissolution of the City’s Redevelopment Agency. He was instrumental in the creation of the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Task Force and the South Coast Task Force on Youth Gangs. Santa Barbara also implemented a comprehensive performance management program under Jim’s direction.

After leaving government service, Jim has provided consulting services for several California cities and special districts. His assignments have included management studies, executive recruitments, and development of long-term financial plans. He is known for his extensive knowledge of local government finance, budgeting and financial analyses.