The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Sue Phillips was unanimously appointed Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of El Dorado County by the Board of Supervisors on March 10, 2026. She brings 24 years of extensive experience in County policy, budgeting, program analysis, and intergovernmental collaboration to her new role.

Ms. Phillips began her career with El Dorado County in 2002 as an Administrative Analyst in the former General Services Department. She later joined the Chief Administrative Office and progressively expanded her responsibilities and management through a series of promotions, serving as Principal Management Analyst in 2006, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer in 2019, and Assistant Chief Administrative Officer in 2023.

Prior to her formal appointment, Ms. Phillips served as Acting and Interim CAO beginning in August 2025.

Throughout her more than two decades of service to the County, Ms. Phillips has overseen the Emergency Medical Services Agency and the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience; contributed to the development of long- and short‑term strategies to meet countywide service needs; served as a liaison to fire protection and other special districts on issues related to service delivery, policy, and funding; and supported policy and budget development across multiple functional areas of county government.

A resident of El Dorado County for 28 years, Ms. Phillips raised her family locally and has been actively involved in the community, including service on several committees and boards such as the Gold Trail Union School Board.

Ms. Phillips holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Arts in Legal Studies from American Public University.