Geneva City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins announces retirement

After 17 years with the city of Geneva – the past nine as city administrator – Stephanie Dawkins announced she would retire Aug. 15, according to a news release.

“It has been a deeply fulfilling experience to contribute to our shared mission of creating a place where people are excited to live, work and play,” Dawkins said in the release. “Over the years, I have witnessed and been a part of significant challenges and achievements within the city.”

The city administrator supervises all department heads, manages the day-to-day operations of city government and serves as budget officer, overseeing the preparation of annual budgets for the City Council’s approval, according to the release.

“Dawkins demonstrated unwavering professionalism, provided a steady hand to help the City achieve financial strength and business growth, fidelity to processes, elevated relationships with our governing partners, and helped steer Geneva into a new era of potential and promise,” Mayor Kevin Burns said in the release. “A steady hand, objective perspective and mutually respectful collaboration help guide the Council and community – all stakeholders – to achieve success and position Geneva for an even more promising future.”

The the team searching for Dawkins’ successor will include the City Council and department directors, with a focus on a smooth transition for and toward advancing the 2030 Strategic Plan, Burns said.

“We have every intention of selecting a successor and announcing before her retirement,” Burns said.

Dawkins, an International City/County Management Association (ICMA) credentialed manager, was named Geneva’s City Administrator in 2016 after previously serving as Assistant City Administrator/Director of Administrative Services for eight years.

Under Dawkins’s leadership, even amidst the challenges of a recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, the city’s bond rating was upgraded to Aa1, the equalized assessed valuation increased by nearly 52%, according to the release.

The city’s general fund reserves increased from covering less than one month of operations to more than six months, earning the city multiple financial accolades from the Government Finance Officers Association.

During her tenure, Dawkins served as the Kane County Municipal Representative and Legislative Chair with the Metro West Council of Government, where she is a member of and also a member of the Illinois City/County Management Association where she participated on various committees. She also served as a director on the Legacy Project board, advancing women in local government; on the Metropolitan Managers Association board; and on the Northern Illinois University Master of Public Administration board of advisors.

Dawkins taught several courses for NIU’s Master of of public administration program, including Human Resource Management in Public Service Organizations and Public Administration and Law.

In 2022, Dawkins was an honorary inductee to Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration and received the inaugural Gregory J. Bielawski Service to the Profession Award from ILCMA, according to the release.

Prior to joining Geneva, Dawkins served in local government positions in Shawnee County, Kan.; Brighton, Colo.; Broward County, Fla.; and Merriam, Kan. She holds a juris doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law and a master of arts degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Appalachian State University. She was admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1997.