The City of Pasadena has selected Karin Schnaider to be the next Director of Finance after conducting a nationwide search that attracted a strong field of experienced public sector finance professionals. Schnaider will begin her new role on Monday, December 1. She will oversee the City’s Finance Department, which manages the City’s budget, accounting, treasury, revenue collection, purchasing, and financial reporting functions, and provides strategic financial guidance to the City Council and executive leadership team.
Schnaider is an accomplished municipal executive and ICMA Credentialed Manager with more than twenty years of leadership experience in finance, operations, and strategic planning. She most recently served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Tracy, a community of approximately 100,000 residents with a three hundred fifty-one million dollar budget, where she oversaw multiple operating departments including public works, utilities, community development services, transit, economic development, homelessness services, information technology, and parks and recreation. In Tracy, she led the implementation of the City’s Housing Element and General Plan, guided major capital and infrastructure investments, and secured significant state, federal, and philanthropic funding to support community priorities
Before becoming Assistant City Manager, Schnaider served as Tracy’s Director of Finance and Technology, where she directed bond financing and special tax district programs, advanced long term fiscal sustainability strategies, strengthened financial transparency, and established the City’s first Innovation and Technology Department. Her prior experience also includes serving as Finance Director for the cities of Benicia and Sierra Madre, as well as earlier finance and accounting roles with Pasadena Unified School District and the City of San Diego.
Schnaider holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from San Diego State University and a Master of Public Policy Administration from California State University, Long Beach. She is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and has been active in statewide and national professional organizations focused on municipal finance, revenue and taxation policy, and local government leadership.
“Karin brings a rare combination of deep municipal finance expertise, strategic leadership experience, and a collaborative style that will serve our city well,” said City Manager Miguel Márquez. “She understands how to align financial strategy with council priorities, deliver complex projects, and communicate clearly with staff, stakeholders, and the community. She will be an outstanding partner to our departments and a strong steward of the City’s resources.”
“I am honored to join the City of Pasadena as Director of Finance,” said Schnaider. “I am excited to join and lead a talented and high-performing department. I look forward to working closely with the City Council, the executive team, the Finance staff, and our community partners to continue enhancing Pasadena’s long-term fiscal sustainability through thoughtful planning, innovation, and a strong commitment to service. Pasadena has always been home for me, my husband, and our boys, and we are excited to return to Southern California. We love the education, arts, sports, parade experiences, and volunteer opportunities that make the City culturally rich. I am grateful for the chance to serve Pasadena.”
Schnaider has also served on regional and statewide committees focused on municipal finance, infrastructure funding, and community services, and has presented at professional conferences on fiscal sustainability and best practices in local government. She is excited to return to the Pasadena area and continue h