Leadership Studies Alumni Spotlight: Stewart Bottell

Image

Role: County Government/Public Administration 
Year graduated: 2017

Where are you now and what have you done career-wise?

For the last 13 years, I've worked within various departments and programs in Shasta County. Since 2021, I have been a manager within the County Administrative Office, and in 2023, I was promoted to my current position as one of two deputy county executive officers, reporting directly to the county executive officer. My responsibilities include providing direction and oversight for our clerk of the board team, managing community engagement and public outreach, and functioning as the county's HIPAA privacy officer.

Any special accomplishments?

A year and a half ago, I became a credentialed HIPAA privacy officer through the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance, and my team now facilitates and tracks annual training for over 400 employees. I've also completed the National Association of Counties High Performance Leadership Academy and taken the lead on advocating on behalf of — or in opposition to — legislation moving through the California Legislature as directed by our Board of Supervisors.

Did the program help you career-wise?

Yes. When I started the program, I was focused on finishing my degree and completing a long-standing personal and professional goal. As I progressed, I leveraged tools and resources to plan my future career goals, determined how I wanted to move through the organization, and defined what leadership means to me. All of this culminated in at least two promotions that I might not have considered otherwise.