New CEO Jana Petersen Hopes to Continue Vision of ‘One County, One Future’

Santa Barbara County has a new top administrator. Jana Petersen officially began her role as county executive officer last week, taking the reins from longtime CEO Mona Miyasato and marking the first leadership change at the top of county government in more than a decade.

Petersen, 56, was introduced as the Board of Supervisors' pick in May and attended her first board meeting on Tuesday, according to Noozhawk. The board approved a salary of $380,000 plus benefits in June. She now oversees 23 departments and the day-to-day operations of a county that serves roughly 440,000 residents — a notable step up in scale from Boulder County, Colorado, home to an estimated 330,000 people, where she spent nearly 30 years in local government.

What drew her west, she said, was both personal and professional. Petersen and her husband were looking for a change now that their three children are adults, and when Miyasato announced her retirement, the California opportunity aligned with something bigger: the county's motto of "One County, One Future."

"It's not the reality for everyone," Petersen told Noozhawk. "So, seeing that put out there as the vision for Santa Barbara County was incredibly inspiring for me."

A Familiar Set of Challenges

Petersen arrives as Santa Barbara County stares down a financial downturn projected over the next five years, driven in part by significant losses in federal and state funding. The county passed a $1.66 billion budget for the current fiscal year — a spending plan that included service reductions and layoffs.

That landscape, while daunting, is familiar territory for the new executive. Boulder County faced similar shortfalls during her tenure as county administrator, and she had to manage layoffs and the rollback of county services there as well.

"Whether (it's) changes in federal funding, changes in funding at the state level, or instability of the economy and the impact that that has on local revenues, that unfortunate part of the job is also familiar," Petersen said, "and something that I'll be focused on."

Her prescription for uncertain times: stability. Petersen said the county should save when it can and resist the urge to immediately spend unexpected revenues, using limited resources thoughtfully. Just as important, she said, is clear communication with residents about what service changes mean — and what local government can do to help people access services even when they're no longer delivered directly by the county.

She also credited her predecessor for leaving the county on solid footing, praising Miyasato for guiding Santa Barbara County through turbulent times and establishing a strong financial foundation.

From Boulder to the 805

Petersen's résumé in Colorado runs deep. Before becoming Boulder County's first — and only — county administrator, she worked for the City of Boulder, including a stint as assistant city manager. In the county role, she oversaw a portfolio that closely mirrors Santa Barbara's: a sheriff's office, elections, disaster response, and a broad range of public services.

The Boulder County Board of County Commissioners, a three-member body, publicly credited her with restructuring county government to make it more accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the county through natural disasters, and helping develop key infrastructure projects.

"As the county's first and only county administrator, she has played a critical role in shaping the organization and advancing many of the county's accomplishments," Commissioner Claire Levy said in a departure notice. "While her departure is a significant loss for our leadership team, we are grateful for the strong foundation she leaves behind and look forward to the next chapter for this position and for Boulder County. Santa Barbara County is lucky to have Jana's talent and commitment to public service."

That disaster-response experience is particularly relevant here. Santa Barbara County residents know the toll of wildfires, debris flows, and floods all too well, and coordinating a multi-department response to emergencies is among the executive officer's core responsibilities.

Jails, Reentry, and the Northern Branch Jail

Another area where Petersen expects to focus is criminal justice reform, an issue she worked on in Boulder County. She framed the county's role as balancing public safety with support for people returning to the community after completing their sentences.

"I'm thinking about folks who leave, and what happens to them?" Petersen said. "What can county government do to support that transition back?"

That philosophy will inform her approach to the Northern Branch Jail expansion, a project that has been a long-running priority for the Sheriff's Office. Petersen said her goal is to help develop a facility that serves both the Sheriff's Office and the people incarcerated there.

What Comes Next

Petersen is still digging into the top issues facing the county, but she has already identified personal priorities — chief among them inclusion and diversity in local government, a passion she said she wants to pursue in her new role.

For residents, the practical stakes of her tenure will play out in the coming budget cycles: which services survive, which are trimmed, and how the county manages a thinner flow of federal and state dollars. Petersen's track record suggests her approach will emphasize reserves, restraint, and transparency about trade-offs.

Her first weeks on the job come as the Board of Supervisors continues working through the implications of the current fiscal year budget. How she navigates the projected downturn — and whether "One County, One Future" holds up under fiscal pressure — will define her early legacy in Santa Barbara County.