Vallejo’s hires new second assistant city manager

by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | July 26, 2025

VALLEJO – The city of Vallejo has hired a second assistant city manager, filling a position that has been vacant for well over a year.

Nalungo Conley, who began with the city on July 7, previously served as chief of staff and human development manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Conley will earn a base salary over $251,000, according to a conditional offer of employment with the city of Vallejo. The document, obtained by JohnGlidden.com via a public records request, states she originally received a base salary of $239,254 her first week with the city before a five percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) went into effect on July 12, bumping her salary to over $251,000.

Other unrepresented positions receiving the COLA include the Executive Assistant to the Mayor, Executive Assistant to the City Manager, City Clerk, Deputy Finance Director, Communications and Public Information Officer, Community Engagement Manager, Assistant to the City Manager, Risk Manager/Safety Officer, among others.

Conley will serve alongside Vallejo’s other assistant city manager, Gillian Haen. As assistant city managers, the pair oversee various assigned city departments, while also providing support to the city manager.

Conley’s hiring was met with controversy as the Vallejo Times-Herald reported that Conley made inflammatory comments on her personal Twitter account. The newspaper’s reporting drew the ire of the NAACP Vallejo Branch #1081, which called for the newspaper to apologize.

However, Conley’s tweets, which have since been deleted, garnered national and international attention with the Atlanta Black Star and the British tabloid the Daily Mail publishing articles about Conley’s remarks.

Vallejo City Hall hasn’t released a statement in response to Conley’s tweets.

Conley replaces Terrance Davis, who left Vallejo in April 2024 to become public works director with the city of Berkeley. Interestingly, Davis and current Vallejo City Manager Andrew Murray switched cities. Murray served as Berkeley’s interim public works director from January to April 2024 before becoming Vallejo’s chief executive in May 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Conley, a Vallejo resident, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from New York University and a master’s in public administration from Golden Gate University, according to a press release announcing her hiring.

Other staff vacancies

Despite filling the second assistant city manager position, Murray continues to have multiple vacancies in his cabinet, including public works director, economic development director, and more recently chief innovation officer & IT director.

On Friday, July 25, the city of Fairfield posted on social media that Naveed Ashraf will become the city’s new information technology director.

“Naveed brings over 20 years of experience leading tech in both public and private sectors, most recently as CIO for the City of Vallejo. He’s been a proud resident of the Fairfield-Suisun area since 1995, and he’s passionate about making technology simple, accessible, and meaningful for everyone,” Fairfield wrote in the social media post on Facebook. “From expanding broadband access to improving public safety communication, Naveed’s work will help Fairfield become more connected, innovative, and ready for the future.”

Ashraf will start with Fairfield on Monday, August 4. He became the first chief innovation officer in the city of Vallejo in September 2019, following a five-year stint as information technology manager in the city of Benicia.

In May, longtime public works employee, Melissa Tigbao left Vallejo to become the public works manager with the city of Pacifica.

Tigbao spent seven years in Vallejo City Hall, first as assistant public works director from July 2018 to November 2021, before she was tapped to serve as acting public works director in November 2021, following Terrance Davis’ elevation to interim assistant city manager.

Following Mike Malone’s placement as the permanent city manager in April 2022, the other positions were solidified as well, with Davis becoming the permanent second assistant city manager and Tigbao being named as public works director. She served in that position until her May 2025 departure.

Oscar Alcantar was named as interim public works director after Tigbao left Vallejo. He has served as assistant public works director from July 2020.

In January, Vallejo lost its economic development director, Michael Nimon, who accepted a similar position with the city of Walnut Creek, according to his LinkedIn profile. Nimon was originally hired in August 2022 as special advisor to the city manager for economic development replacing Paul Kelly, who served in the position from May 2020 to June 2022.

Finally, the city’s fire department has been led by interim chief Arthur Gonzales since January 2025. A vacancy in the position occurred after Vallejo City Manager Andrew Murray agreed to a separation agreement with Fire Chief Kyle Long in June 2024. Long received three months’ severance equal to more than $63,000.