EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors made it official today and unanimously approved Sue Phillips (Hennike) as the County’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), effective March 21, 2026. Phillips has been serving as acting and interim CAO since mid-August 2025.
“Ms. Phillips’ deep institutional knowledge gained through positions of increased responsibility and authority, professionalism, commitment to public service and collaborative leadership style has prepared her to lead at the highest level,” said Board Chair Brooke Laine. “She is exceptionally well-suited to lead our organization and continue delivering essential services to the residents of El Dorado County and, as such, has the entire Board’s support to help make her tenure successful for the benefit of our residents.”
Phillips brings 24 years of experience with El Dorado County and extensive expertise in County policy, budgeting, and intergovernmental collaboration. Since August 2023, she served as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, helping oversee County operations and coordinating the preparation of the County’s annual budget. In that role, she also oversaw the Emergency Medical Services Agency and the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience, and assisted in developing long- and short-term strategies to meet the County’s service needs.
Previously, Phillips served as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer from 2019 to 2023, where she played a key role in countywide policy and budget development, with particular emphasis on law and justice services and emergency medical services. She also served as a liaison to fire protection and other special districts on matters related to service delivery, policy, and funding.
Phillips began her career with the County in January 2002 as an analyst in the General Services Department, became an administrative analyst in the Chief Administrative Office in 2004, and advanced to principal management analyst in 2006, supporting policy and budget development across multiple functional areas of county government.
“I am deeply honored to serve as El Dorado County’s Chief Administrative Officer,” said Ms. Phillips. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Board, County employees, and our community partners to provide high-quality services, address the challenges ahead, and ensure our County remains a safe, vibrant, and thriving place for all residents.”
Phillips holds a Master of Arts in Legal Studies from American Public University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Davis.