Meet Sharon Landers: Carson’s First Female City Manager

In May, the Carson City Council appointed Sharon Landers to serve as the new city manager. She is the first woman to hold the position in the city’s history. She replaces Ken Farfsing, who retired from the city late last year after a 23-year career in city government.

Previously, Landers served as assistant city manager for the City of Irvine for more than a decade, where she modernized city services and oversaw several complex large-scale capital projects.

“We are thrilled that someone with Ms. Sharon Landers’ reputation, experience, and education joins us in Carson,” said Mayor Albert Robles in a city press release. “Carson certainly stands to benefit from her noteworthy leadership and extensive experience in various aspects of city management. I’m confident that my colleagues and I have made a great choice in hiring Ms. Sharon Landers.”

A city manager executive search was initiated last year and after extensive interviews, the city council unanimously directed staff to extend an offer and negotiate a contract with Landers.

Landers holds a Bachelor of Science degree at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and earned her JD degree at Albany Law School, Union University in New York.

The council set Landers’ base salary at $265,000 annually -- a $25,000 increase over the former city manager. The city manager is the most senior staff person in the city and is sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer. Landers will also serve as the Executive Director of the Successor Agency and Executive Director of the Carson Housing Authority.