Vallejo loses its community engagement manager

by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | October 8, 2025

VALLEJO – After just two years on the job, Sharon Lund, the city’s community engagement manager has left Vallejo, JohnGlidden.com has confirmed.

As of Tuesday, October 7, Lund’s name was no longer on the city’s website, prompting JohnGlidden.com to contact the city on the same day regarding Lund’s status with Vallejo. City of Vallejo Spokesperson Robert Briseño confirmed the following day, Wednesday, October 8, that Lund had left Vallejo.

“Sadly, yes, Sharon left last week to start a new adventure out of the area,” Briseño wrote in an email response. “She conveys that she had a wonderful time here and will forever remember Vallejo fondly.”

Briseño further said that the position is currently vacant and not staffed with an interim.

“There’s no update on recruitment or a timeline at this time,” he added.

Lund’s departure comes eight months after she was mentioned in a lawsuit filed by the city’s former spokesperson, Christina Lee. In February, Lee filed the lawsuit in Solano County Superior Court alleging that she was bullied and harassed by top city officials after she reported potentially illegal conduct by the same officials, as reported by the Vallejo Sun.

According to the lawsuit, the city created the community engagement manager position as a way to promote Lee but that the same top officials, then-City Manager Mike Malone, then-Assistant City Manager Terrance Davis and current Assistant City Manager Gillian Haen, questioned her “loyalty” to the city.

Lund was hired, with the lawsuit alleging that Haen poisoned the working relationship between Lee and Lund.

The position’s responsibilities include connecting the city’s four public information officers to provide consistent messaging from the city. The police, fire, and water departments each have a public information officer, with Briseño serving as the city’s main spokesperson.

Other staff vacancies

Lund’s departure comes as Vallejo continues to have vacancies at city hall including public works director, economic development director, and chief innovation officer & IT director.

Vallejo lost its longtime Chief Innovation Officer & IT Director Naveed Ashraf in August as he accepted a similar position with the city of Fairfield.

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, several city hall positions were solidified, 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 Kelley, 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.

Despite all the departures and interim appointments, Vallejo has made several key hirings, including Nalungo Conley, the city’s second assistant city manager in July, and Robert Briseño as city spokesperson in March.