EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. — The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the appointment of Sue Phillips (Hennike) as the county’s Chief Administrative Officer, formalizing a leadership transition after she served in the interim role for several months.
Phillips will officially assume the position March 21, 2026. She has been serving as acting and interim CAO since mid-August 2025 following the departure of the county’s previous chief administrative officer.
Board Chair Brooke Laine said Phillips’ long career with the county and leadership experience made her a natural choice to guide the organization.
“Ms. Phillips’ deep institutional knowledge gained through positions of increased responsibility and authority, professionalism, commitment to public service and collaborative leadership style has prepared her to lead at the highest level,” Laine said. “She is exceptionally well-suited to lead our organization and continue delivering essential services to the residents of El Dorado County and, as such, has the entire Board’s support to help make her tenure successful for the benefit of our residents.”
Phillips brings 24 years of experience working within El Dorado County government, including extensive work in policy development, budgeting and intergovernmental coordination.
Since August 2023, Phillips has served as assistant chief administrative officer, helping oversee countywide operations and coordinating development of the county’s annual budget. In that role, she also supervised the Emergency Medical Services Agency and the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience while assisting in both long- and short-term planning for county services.
Earlier in her career, Phillips served as deputy chief administrative officer from 2019 to 2023, where she focused on countywide policy and budget planning with particular emphasis on law and justice services and emergency medical services. She also acted as a liaison to fire protection and other special districts on matters involving service delivery, policy coordination and funding.
Phillips began her career with the county in January 2002 as an analyst in the General Services Department. She later moved to the Chief Administrative Office in 2004 as an administrative analyst before advancing to principal management analyst in 2006, supporting policy and budget development across multiple county departments.
“I am deeply honored to serve as El Dorado County’s Chief Administrative Officer,”
Phillips said in a statement.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Board, County employees and our community partners to provide high-quality services, address the challenges ahead, and ensure our county remains a safe, vibrant and thriving place for all residents.”
Phillips holds a Master of Arts in Legal Studies from American Public University System and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from University of California, Davis.
County officials say the appointment provides continuity in leadership at a time when the county is managing key issues including wildfire preparedness, emergency services coordination and long-term fiscal planning.
