San Diego County Civil Service Commissioners

Seat 1

Commissioner Will Rodriguez-Kennedy

Will Rodriguez-Kennedy – (he/him/his) is a public servant, community leader and an award winning former reporter, organizer and veteran of the United States Marine Corps; Commissioner Rodriguez-Kennedy has more than a decade of demonstrated service to community, county, and country. He brings to the Commission significant experience as a manager and has served as a chief executive to a number of non-profit and community organizations.

Commissioner Rodriguez-Kennedy first became civically active in his fight against the unconstitutional “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which led to his honorable though involuntary separation from the United States Marine Corps because he was outed as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Since then he has been a prominent advocate for racial justice, social justice, economic justice, and equity in public policy. He also serves on the San Diego Convention Center Board of Directors and the San Diego Police Chief’s LGBT Advisory Council.


Seat 2

Commissioner Sam McGovern

Sam McGovern – is a San Diego native and the Managing Attorney of McGovern Law Group, APC, with offices in La Mesa, Alpine, and Chula
Vista. Before entering the legal field, he served as a police officer in
Martinsburg, West Virginia, where he developed a strong foundation in conflict resolution and public service. Pursuing his passion for law, Sam earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from California Western School of Law, graduating in the top 2% of his class. In 2020, he founded McGovern Law Group, focusing on estate planning, probate, and trust administration, helping families protect their legacies and avoid legal conflicts.

Sam McGovern has been recognized on multiple occasions for outstanding contributions to the San Diego community and has served on the Boards of Directors for several local organizations. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys exploring San Diego and spending time with his horse and two rescue greyhounds.


Seat 3

P. Kay Coleman

P. Kay Coleman – Angel Investor; Community leader and volunteer; Former Board Chair of San Diego Foundation; Former Board Chair of San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center; National Board Member of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Chair Emerita of the American Cancer Society SoCal Area Board; Board Member of Access Youth Academy; Long-time advocate for Health Equity and Racial and Social Justice; Graduate of and Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee and MBA in Finance and Strategic Planning from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

 


Seat 4

Commissioner Joe O. Montenegro

Joe O. Montenegro – Recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for his work with the youth and community organizations, including the Medal of Merit from the Imperial County Board of Supervisors.  Leadership and volunteer work include former Board President of the 45th Agricultural Association (Governor appointment; 23 years of service), former Board President of the El Centro Regional Medical Center, former Board Chairperson of the Sun Community Federal Credit Union, Loaned Executive of the Year – United Way of Riverside, and CASA of Imperial County.  Retired from Southern California Gas Company after forty years including serving as Labor Relations Advisor, Field Operations Manager (Southeast Inland Empire), and Superintendent/ Pipeline Operations for Sempra International.  Consultant work includes employee development training for utility companies throughout the country and construction and project management for engineering firms. B.S. in Human Resources Management; Executive Management Certificate- UC Riverside.


Seat 5

Bassett

Laura Bassett – Laura Bassett was born and raised in Oceanside, California where she still resides with her husband of 32 years. She is a licensed professional fiduciary serving as a trust and probate administrator since 2011. She is also a licensed real estate broker specializing in residential sales and property management since 2003. Laura earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California in 1989 and served as President and Vice President of her Accounting Fraternity Beta Alpha Psi. She is currently an Ambassador for the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce and has also been involved with the local theater community alongside her family since 2006. When not working and serving the community, she loves to spend time with her husband, her six grown children, their spouses and her granddaughter.