Marc Ott, CEO/Executive Director
Email: CEO@icma.org
As CEO and Executive Director, Marc Ott oversees all aspects of ICMA, including membership, staff, and implementation of the Executive Board’s strategic objectives.
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Marc A. Ott is CEO/Executive Director of ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, which advances professional local government worldwide through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics. ICMA is the authority on leadership and management for appointed professional managers and administrators serving U.S. and international local governments. Marc’s responsibilities include working closely with the ICMA Executive Board and more than 13,000 members to support and advocate for professional and ethical local government management and for forming global partnerships to further ICMA’s mission.
Prior to joining ICMA, Marc served for nearly 9 years as city manager of Austin, Texas, then a full-service city with 40+ departments, a workforce of 14,000 employees, an all-funds budget of $3.8 billion, and a triple-A bond rating that was maintained throughout his tenure. Austin is widely recognized as being one of the "Best Managed Cities in America."
Marc’s distinguished career in municipal management includes leadership roles in the cities of Fort Worth, Texas; Rochester Hills, Michigan; Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Among his many awards, Marc received ICMA’s highest professional honor, the Award for Career Excellence in Memory of Mark E. Keane. The National Forum for Black Public Administrators also bestowed upon him both its Marks of Excellence Award and its 2020 Hall of Fame Award.
Marc completed the Senior Executives Program in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and has a master’s degree in public administration from Oakland University in Michigan.
Ray Baray, Chief of Staff
Email: rbaray@icma.org
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Ray Baray joined ICMA in May 2020 and serves as the Chief of Staff. In this capacity, Ray serves as an advisor to the Executive Director as well as the organization’s second in command. Ray provides strategic oversight of the Racial Equity & Social Justice Action Team, which is charged with equity and inclusion programming and activities for ICMA membership and staff. In addition, Ray provides oversight of the Technology, Engineering and Data Team. Ray’s previous governmental roles included chief of staff and assistant city manager for the City of Austin, Texas; Governmental Relations Officer for the City of San Antonio, Texas; Special Assistant for Public Policy for the Texas Attorney General; and Deputy Secretary of State for the state of New Mexico. Ray earned a master’s in public administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Trinity University.
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Sabina Agarunova, Chief Financial Officer
Email: sagarunova@icma.org
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Sabina Agarunova has been with ICMA since 2013 and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to the hiring of ICMA’s first Chief of Staff, Sabina served in a dual role of Interim Chief Operating Officer (COO)/Chief Financial Officer. Sabina directs the Finance and Contract Administration (FCA) Team, which ensures effective and efficient stewardship of ICMA’s resources, accurate and timely financial reporting, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Prior to joining ICMA, Sabina served as the Chief Financial Officer for the International Republican Institute (IRI). Sabina is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the District of Columbia and earned an associate’s degree in Music from Sumgait Music College, Azerbaijan and a bachelor’s degree in Russian Literature from Baku State University, Azerbaijan.
Priscilla Wilson, Chief People Officer
Email: pwilson@icma.org
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Priscilla Wilson joined ICMA in January 2020 as the Chief People Officer. Priscilla directs the People, Culture and Capabilities Team by overseeing human resource initiatives that support the overall business plan and strategic direction of ICMA, specifically in the areas of talent acquisition, workforce engagement, organizational and performance management, training and development, and compensation and benefits administration. Prior to joining ICMA, Priscilla’s previous governmental roles included senior managing director for the City of Garland, TX; human resources director for the City of Wilson, NC; and HR generalist roles in Forsyth County, Winston-Salem, NC. Priscilla earned a master’s in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University. She holds IPMA-SCP, SPHR-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications.
Hemant Desai, Chief Technology Officer
Email: hdesai@icma.org
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Hemant Desai joined ICMA in 2021 as Chief Technology Officer. Hemant began his local government career in 2011 with Guilford County (Greensboro, North Carolina) as a Project Manager. In this role, he implemented Enterprise Project Management tools and processes. A year later, he was promoted to Director of Client Services, where he facilitated the move of the IT department staff and Data Center to a new location. In November 2013, Hemant was promoted to the CIO position after the retirement of the previous CIO. In his role as CIO, he strengthened the security posture of the County by implementing enhanced security applications including SIEM, Next-gen Firewall and end user security and implemented Cloud-based Disaster Recovery (DRaaS). Hemant earned his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at MS University in Baroda, India, and his MBA in Technology Management from University of Phoenix. He holds Project Management Institute’s PMP and PgMP certifications.
Kim Desmond, Chief Equity Officer
Email: kdesmond@icma.org
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Kim Desmond joined ICMA in 2024 as Chief Equity Officer. In her role, Kim oversees our flagship DEI programs: the Leadership Institute on Race, Equity and Inclusion, the Equity Officer Cohort, and our annual Equity Summit. Kim will lead additional programs to normalize equity tools into local government budget allocations and policies through utilizing a concise Operationalizing Equity Model and provide access to our members to obtain a DEI training certification. Kim began her local government career in The City and County of Denver, serving as the Director and Interim Chief Equity Officer for Mayor Michael B. Hancock, overseeing the Mayor’s Office of Social Equity and Innovation. She also served as the Chief Race and Equity Officer for the City of San Diego, leading the Department of Race and Equity for Mayor Todd Gloria. Kim holds multiple degrees, including a Master’s in Community Counseling from Fort Hays State University, a master’s in education administration and policy studies from the University of Denver, and an Early Childhood Leadership certification from the University of Denver.
Rob Carty, Interim Managing Director, Member Services and Ethics
Email: rcarty@icma.org
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Rob Carty is the Interim Managing Director for Member Services and Ethics. Since joining ICMA in 2004, Rob has served as staff liaison to several ICMA Board Committees, including the Governmental Affairs and Policy Committee (2004-2008), the Advisory Board on Graduate Education (2008-2020), and the Graduate Education Committee (2020-present). He has served in several staff roles, from Program Manager, to Director of Next Generation Initiatives, to his most recent role, Director of Career and Equity Advancement. Over the years, Rob has expanded or created nearly a dozen programs, such as ICMA Student Chapters, the Local Government Management Fellowship, the ICMA Academic Symposium at the annual conference, a K-12 outreach initiative (which includes the first ICMA coloring book, printed in 2020), and new programs to connect with military installation commanders. Rob was asked to lead the team to redesign ICMA’s Job Center in 2007, and ICMA’s equity and inclusion team in 2017. Rob is a graduate of the 2014 Leadership ICMA class and has received several staff awards over the years. Prior to joining ICMA, Rob served as a public information officer for the City of San Diego and worked as a public relations consultant for a period. Rob has an MBA from the University of Maryland, College Park and a double BA degree in economics and international relations from the University of San Diego.
Tad McGalliard, Managing Director for Research, Development, and Technical Assistance
Email: tmcgalliard@icma.org
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Tad McGalliard is ICMA’s Managing Director for Research, Development, and Technical Assistance. He joined ICMA in 2003 as a senior project manager. From 2009 to 2015 he served as ICMA’s first Director of Sustainability. In his current role, Tad oversees the activities of teams focused on research, publications, grant funding, business development, and technical assistance. Prior to joining ICMA, Tad worked with Cornell University’s Center for the Environment, assisting local governments and nonprofit partners on sustainable community strategies, including projects in large cities, and small rural communities. He formerly worked with the Energy, Environment, and Resources Center on redevelopment and reuse strategies for federal facilities. Tad earned his bachelor's and master’s degrees at the University of Tennessee.
Isabelle Bully-Omictin, Managing Director, Global Engagement
Email: iomictin@icma.org
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Isabelle Bully-Omictin joined ICMA in 1997 and is now the Managing Director, Global Engagement. She has over twenty-six years with ICMA and previously served as the Director of Funded Programs. In her past role she was responsible for designing, managing, implementing international local governance programs and overseeing ICMA’s portfolio of international and domestic grants and contracts. Isabelle has worked in numerous countries around the world, and her expertise to create partnerships with local organizations and stakeholders to advance professional local government management will be advantageous as we navigate the global expansion of ICMA.
Jeremy Figoten, Managing Director of Conferences, Events, and Sponsorships
Email: jfigoten@icma.org
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Jeremy Figoten joined ICMA in 2018 as Director of Conferences and Events and was promoted to Managing Director of Conferences, Events, and Sponsorships in 2022. In his role, Jeremy oversees the activities of teams focused on planning, managing, and executing all elements of the ICMA Annual Conference, ICMA Regional Conferences, the ICMA Executive Board Meetings, and other ICMA in-person and digital events. In addition, the Sponsorship team manages and runs the ICMA Partner and Sponsorship program, which includes recruitment, renewal, and execution of deliverables for year-round engagement as well as event and single items. Prior to joining ICMA, Jeremy served as Senior Vice President of Meetings, Business Development, and Communications for the National Apartment Association (NAA). Jeremy earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from American University and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE).
Brian Bullock, Managing Director of Worldwide Learning and Professional Development
Email: bbullock@icma.org
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Brian Bullock joined ICMA in November 2020 as the Managing Director of Worldwide Learning and Professional Development. In this role, Brian provides leadership and oversight in the administration of ICMA University and a variety of learning experiences designed for the unique needs and challenges of local government professionals. Prior to joining ICMA, Brian’s public sector roles included Manager of Instructional Design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Manager of Learning and Development for the City and County of Denver, CO. Brian earned a master’s in educational media and technology from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in social science and anthropology from New York University.
Lynne Scott, Managing Director, Brand Management, Marketing and Outreach
Email: lscott@icma.org
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Lynne Scott joined ICMA in 2001 and is now the Managing Director, Brand Management, Marketing and Outreach. Lynne has been a major contributor to ICMA’s equity work as well as to the Outreach, Membership, and Professional Development Teams for over twenty-two years. Most recently, Lynne served as director of membership marketing and as director of equity and social justice, where she led our Race, Equity, and Social Justice initiatives. She was also instrumental in creating two flagship DEI programs: the Leadership Institute on Race, Equity and Inclusion, as well as the Equity Officer Cohort program, which helped ICMA successfully compete for a $1 million grant from the Gates Foundation. Most recently, Lynne led the marketing of our lowered dues rate initiative and our newly launched Learning Management System. Lynne has a BA in Journalism, with a marketing minor, from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is also a graduate of the University of Virginia, Senior Executive Leadership Institute and holds a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.
ICMA REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Matthew Fulton, Midwest Regional Director
Email: mfulton@icma.org
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Matthew Fulton joined ICMA in July 2023 as the Midwest Regional Director after a successful 35-year career in local government and 5 years working for Polco, an ICMA strategic partner. During his career, Matt served as City Manager in three Minnesota communities, West St. Paul, Minnesota (2013-2017), Coon Rapids, Minnesota (2006-2012), and New Brighton, Minnesota (1993-2006) and as City Administrator for Hartford, Wisconsin (1987-1993). Before joining ICMA, Matt’s involvement as a member included serving as an Executive Board Midwest Vice President (2009-2011) and chairing ICMA’s International Task Force prior to that. Additionally, Matt served as the ICMA Conference Planning Chair for the San Diego conference in 2004. During the course of his career, Matt has served in numerous other leadership positions, including serving as President of the Minnesota City/County Management Association and serving on the Executive Board for the League of Minnesota Cities. Matt received his MPA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his BA in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Gerald (Jerry) Giaimis, Northeast Regional Director
Email: jgiaimis@icma.org
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Gerald (Jerry) Giaimis joined the ICMA team as the Northeast Regional Director in July 2023 after serving as a town administrator in several New Jersey townships, including the Township of Maplewood, NJ (2021-2022), Borough of Saddle River, NJ (2017-2021), Township of Raritan, NJ (2015-2016), Township of Scotch Plains, NJ (2013-2015), and Township of Vernon, NJ (2010-2013). Jerry’s involvement with ICMA has included serving on the 2015, 2021, and 2022 Annual Conference Planning Committees (Seattle, WA; Nashville, TN; and Columbus, OH) and serving as speaker for each. Additionally, Jerry served on the Conference Evaluation Committee for San Antonio, TX and Kansas City, MO. He is a current full corporate member of the New Jersey Municipal Management Association. Jerry received his MPA from Central Michigan University-Mount Pleasant and his BA in Political Science from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ.
Pat Martel, West Coast Regional Director
Email: pmartel@icma.org
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Pat Martel joined ICMA as the West Coast Regional Director in July 2019 following thirty-eight years of distinguished service in California local government, where she held executive leadership positions with the cities of Inglewood, South San Francisco, Daly City, San Francisco and Hayward. Serving as an Assistant City Manager, General Manager of Public Utilities and City Manager, Ms. Martel was responsible for managing public services in communities ranging in size from 67,000 to 850,000 residents. Most recently, Pat served as City Manager of Daly City from 2005 until retiring in June, 2018. She previously served as Assistant City Manager of Daly City from 1995 to 2001 before moving to the City and County of San Francisco to serve as the General Manager of the Public Utilities Commission. As West Coast Regional Director for the International City/County Management Association, Pat is responsible for coordinating ICMA’s presence in the West Coast Region which includes the states of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Providing support to well over 1500 ICMA members in the region, Pat also supports the ICMA Executive Board Vice Presidents representing the west coast. Ms. Martel was elected a member of the ICMA Executive Board as West Coast Regional Vice President, 2010-2013. She was selected by the Executive Board to serve as the 102nd President of ICMA in 2015. Pat has also served the profession as a board director for the California City Management Foundation, the City Managers Department of the League of California Cities, Women Leading Government, the Local Government Hispanic Network, and the Institute for Local Government. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Martel holds a B.S. degree in Public Affairs and Journalism, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Wayne Parker, Mountain Plains Regional Director
Email: wparker@icma.org
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Wayne Parker joined ICMA as the Mountain Plains Regional Director in March 2024 following a stellar 40+ year career serving local governments in Missouri, Kansas, and Utah. He most recently retired from his role as city manager of Provo, Utah after 20 years of service to his community and brings a passion for community development, public safety, and innovation. As the Mountain Plains Regional Director, Wayne will serve as a conduit between ICMA and the multiple state associations across the Mountain Plains Region, which includes the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
Randall (Randy) Reid, Southeast Regional Director
Email: rreid@icma.org
