New Assistant CEO to Join County in January

Renée Bahl, currently executive director of the Arizona State Parks Board, will join Santa Barbara County in January as a new Assistant CEO.

Bahl worked for several years under CEO Chandra Wallar when they both were in San Diego County. “I am pleased and excited to have Renée join the County’s leadership team,” Wallar said in a statement. “She is known as an excellent leader who possesses a strong business and financial acumen, and is well-respected for her highly successful communication skills as well as proven results-oriented track.”

While she does appear to have solid administrative credentials, Bahl — who will step in to fill the position of Jason Stilwell after he left to become the city administrator in Carmel — got into trouble in 2001 when she was caught etching her name into the wall of a historic adobe barn in Arizona. At the time, she was in charge of overseeing historic preservation at the ranch. According to news reports, another employee caught her, and a photo of the scratches was sent to the entire state legislature. She was disciplined for the act before leaving in 2002 for San Diego County.