Jennifer Callaway is a seasoned public servant with a law degree and a master’s in Public Administration, dedicated to building thriving, resilient communities. She began her career immediately after graduate school, drawn to local government by the tangible impact one can have on people’s lives. Over the years, Jennifer has served at the state level, with a tribal government, and in several California communities from northern California down to the Central Coast, gaining experience across performance management and finance, communications, public works, and administration.
As Town Manager of Truckee, Northern California, she oversees a dynamic local government organization, including land use, community development, planning, building, code enforcement, public safety, public works, infrastructure, housing, sustainability community engagement, economic development and administrative functions. Known for her collaborative and humble leadership style, Jennifer embraces servant leadership and empowers her team to deliver meaningful results.
Her focus on transparency, inclusion, and strategic planning ensures that Truckee continues to grow as a connected, resilient, and vibrant community where residents feel heard, valued, and proud to call home.
Below is the conversation that we had with Callaway.
Community Engagement and Vision
At the heart of my leadership is a deep commitment to building stronger, more connected communities. We understand that community engagement is not just a task—it is the foundation of everything we do. Transparency and listening are central to how we operate. The Town operates under the ethos we call the “Truckee Way,” a framework for collaboration, which ensures that we approach every conversation with the intention to understand, not just to respond. In Truckee, we are working hard and strive to ensure that every voice in Truckee is heard, valued, and involved in shaping our future.
Our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) plays a pivotal role in ensuring that we connect with every part of the community. Our IDEA Plan and various community engagement programs are designed to involve residents meaningfully, but also in fun, interactive ways, allowing us to listen, learn, and grow together. The growth of technology, especially social media, has changed how we engage with the public, and we embrace these tools to facilitate real-time conversations, gather feedback, and ensure everyone has a seat at the table.
Our IDEA Plan and various community engagement programs are designed to involve residents meaningfully, but also in fun, interactive ways, allowing us to listen, learn, and grow together.
Beyond engagement, sustainability and resiliency are central to my work. As a town nestled in the Sierra Nevada, preserving our environment is crucial. Through divisions like “Keep Truckee Green,” we focus on environmental sustainability and creating a thriving, resilient community. Our infrastructure projects, housing programs, and economic development initiatives are all designed to ensure that Truckee remains a great place to live, now and for future generations. Core to our mission and purpose as local government is recognizing and honouring our role in shaping our community for future generations. We carry that responsibility with great pride.
Shaping the Future of Community Connection
Looking toward the future, we know how we engage with the community must evolve. Social media and digital platforms allow for immediate, meaningful exchanges, and we’ve embraced these advancements. Transparency and openness are more important than ever. We’ve implemented initiatives where residents can directly engage with our efforts—whether through feedback on development plans or participation in sustainability programs. The more inclusive and open we are, the stronger our community becomes.
Sustainability is also an urgent priority. We are working tirelessly to protect our natural resources while planning for long-term growth. Our residents are invested in keeping Truckee green, and we’ve launched numerous sustainability initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint and create a more sustainable future for our town. At the same time, we are planning for resilient infrastructure that can stand up to future challenges, such as climate change and population growth.
One of the most exciting areas of innovation in local government today is the use of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI). Whether AI-assisted plan reviews, staff reports, or more efficient ways of communicating with the public, these tools are changing how we serve our community. While some of these advancements can be daunting, they hold incredible potential to make government operations more efficient, transparent, and accessible to the public. I’m excited about AI’s possibilities in improving how we deliver services and engage with residents.
Planning with Purpose and Listening to Every Voice
Inclusion and community engagement are at the heart of everything we do. Truckee is a relatively young municipality, incorporated just over 30 years ago. Our founding was driven by a need for local control over land use and infrastructure, which we continue to prioritize today. We are deeply committed to ensuring that our planning efforts honor the character and values of our community. We remain steadfast in maintaining the small-town, authentic mountain feel that makes Truckee so special.
Data plays a significant role in our decision-making process. We conduct statistically valid surveys regularly to ensure that we understand our community’s priorities. These surveys give us concrete information that informs our policy decisions and guides our strategic direction. Our Town Council relies on this data to determine how we allocate limited resources, prioritizing the services and programs that matter most to our residents.
One key element of our work is transparency. We believe in being open about our successes and challenges. We celebrate what we’ve done well and acknowledge the areas where we’ve had setbacks. Being honest about our progress builds trust with the community and reinforces our commitment to being responsible stewards of the public’s resources.
Leadership through Service and Teamwork
Leadership, for me, is all about the team. It’s not about titles or positions—it’s about the collective effort of everyone working together toward a common goal. I’m fortunate to work with an incredible team here at Truckee, and their creativity, dedication, and commitment to the community make our town a great place to live.
I’m proud to stand alongside them, supporting and guiding their work, and it’s a true honor to be part of such a committed team.
Public service is about humility. People enter this field because they love community—they want to build it, shape it, and be part of it. Leading with humility means putting the community first, listening to people, and serving with the understanding that it’s not about individual success but collective progress. Public service is about making thoughtful decisions that benefit everyone and ensuring that the community’s voice remains at the heart of all we do. I feel so grateful, grateful that this is the work that I get to do, with a team I respect and admire and for a community that I love.
