Megan Hunter began her new role as the City Manager for Soledad on May 15, 2023. Before being hired as City Manager, Megan worked for the City of Salinas as the Community Development Director facilitating economic development, advancing housing production, addressing homelessness, eliminating blight, and ensuring equitable growth in all Salinas neighborhoods. Assuming the helm of the Community Development Department in 2015, Megan guided the development and adoption of three specific plans, economic development and housing elements of the General Plan, and two community plans. In recognition of this work, the California Chapter of the American Planning Association awarded the department “best public planning agency” in 2020. Prior to moving to Salinas, Megan served as the Planning and Development Director in Flint, leading the development of the City’s first Master Plan since 1960. Nine years after its adoption, the plan continues to receive national attention for its innovative approach in reimagining a shrinking city and has resulted in more than $300 million in private and public investment for its implementation. Megan also spent 11 years as a planner in Los Angeles with both the Redevelopment Agency and the Department of City Planning. Key projects included: industrial expansion near the Port of Los Angeles, revitalization of San Pedro’s Downtown, a streetscape plan for L.A. Live, and establishment of four historic districts. Megan has a master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in metropolitan studies from Michigan State University.