The Hermosa Beach City Council in California unanimously voted to appoint Suja Lowenthal, (Joseph) DPD, a former Long Beach City Councilmember and currently the Senior Advisor to Santa Monica’s City Manager, as Hermosa Beach’s City Manager.
Lowenthal would bring more than 20 years of government, municipal and community engagement experience to the job, having served in leadership positions in Long Beach and Santa Monica City governments and in local water districts. Since 2017, Lowenthal has been responsible for analyzing and addressing high-profile issues surrounding the Santa Monica Airport and has served as co-chair of the City’s mobility strategic goal.
Previously, she served as Transit Planning and Community Engagement Manager for the City of Santa Monica from 2012-2017. In that role, she was responsible for regional intergovernmental transit planning and all other aspects of transit planning and community engagement for the Big Blue Bus regional transit agency. Lowenthal also served as a member of the Long Beach City Council from 2006-2016 and as the City’s Vice Mayor from 2010-2012 and 2014-2016. In addition, she served as an alternate member of the California Coastal Commission from 2007-2009
‘We are thrilled to have found such a great fit for our City at such a pivotal time in our development,’ said Mayor Jeff Duclos. ‘Suja’s extensive knowledge of all the various facets of local government, her experience as a Coastal Commissioner, her work in the fields of transportation, education and water management, and her experience in business development and public/private partnerships will be of great benefit to us. In addition to her management skills, she is unquestionably one of the most impressive individuals I have had the pleasure of meeting in a long time.’
In addition to being elected to the Long Beach City Council, Lowenthal was elected to the Board of Education in the Long Beach Unified School District in 2001 and served until 2006. Before joining the City of Santa Monica, she served in a variety of positions for the Water Replenishment District in Cerritos, the Central Basin Municipal Water District, the West Basin Municipal Water District, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles City Department of Aging.
‘Hermosa Beach is such a special place, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to become a part of the community and work with its residents and business and community leaders,’ Lowenthal said. ‘I am also enthusiastic about the prospect of serving the community and getting to know City staff – all of whom have committed themselves to making Hermosa an incredible place to live, work and play. Having spent time studying Hermosa’s City government and its strategic plan, I am ready to get to work on implementing the City’s long-range plans and enhancing City services.’
Lowenthal would fill the position left vacant by the departure of former City Manager Sergio Gonzalez, who accepted another position. Retired Santa Monica City Manager John Jalili has been serving as Interim City Manager since March.
Born in Madras, India, Lowenthal came to the United States in 1977 at the age of seven. She earned a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of California, Los Angeles; a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Doctorate in Policy, Planning and Development from the University of Southern California.
As Hermosa Beach’s City Manager, she would be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the City, which includes implementation of City Council ordinances and policies, as well as oversight of 130 fulltime employees and an annual budget of approximately $40.8 million. If her appointment and contract are approved by the Council, Lowenthal’s annual salary would be $219,000. She is a resident of Long Beach. She and her husband, Tom Andrus, together have five children.
About Hermosa Beach
Founded in 1907, Hermosa Beach is a thriving community of some 20,000 residents. Located on the southern end of the Santa Monica Bay in Los Angeles County, with beaches ranked among the best in the world, Hermosa Beach has been recognized for its work to highlight Southern California beach culture, foster a vibrant local economy and protect coastal and environmental resources.
