Mayor Gleam Davis announces retirement of City Clerk Denise Anderson-Warren
September 13, 2023 4:38 PM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – At the Santa Monica City Council meeting on September 12, 2023, Mayor Gleam Davis announced the December retirement of City Clerk Denise Anderson-Warren, who has served the City of Santa Monica for 29 years.
Anderson-Warren was appointed as City Clerk in February 2016 and tasked with serving as the city elections official, political reform filing officer, and compliance officer for the Public Records Act, Brown Act, and local statutes, as well as with overseeing the administration, elections, and support services divisions of the City Clerk’s Office.
“Denise has expertly helmed the City Clerk’s office through some of its most challenging times, including transitioning City Council meetings to virtual meetings during the pandemic,” Mayor Gleam Davis said. “Throughout it all she has been a knowledgeable and dedicated leader, and her career with the City has been an impressive one. I will miss seeing her on the dais every other Tuesday, but I wish her all the best in her retirement.”
Anderson-Warren began her career in the City Clerk’s Office as a Staff Assistant and worked her way up through a series of roles as Deputy City Clerk, Records Management Coordinator, Support Services liaison, Administrative Analyst, Records and Election Services Manager, and Assistant City Clerk before being appointed City Clerk.
“In my nearly three decades here, I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many staff, Council, and community members, and I’ve seen firsthand how much people care for our City and what a special place this is,” Anderson-Warren said. “It has been an honor to spend my career serving the City of Santa Monica, and I’m proud of the work we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Anderson-Warren's many career accomplishments include:
- Being an active member of the City Clerks Association of California, where she serves as a mentor, was on the Executive Board for the Southern Division, has served as the Region XI Director (Los Angeles County), and has served on the Professional Development Committee.
- Obtaining certification as a Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) in 2003 from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC).
- Serving briefly as interim Assistant to the City Manager in 2007.
- Researching, selecting, and implementing electronic filing systems for Campaign Disclosure Statements and Form 700 Conflict of Interest Statements.
- Being recognized by the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica for their celebration of Women Who Shape Santa Monica.
- Spearheading the planning and implementation of the City’s participation as a U.S. Passport Acceptance Agency. When faced with budget cuts, Anderson-Warren proposed an innovative new plan to bring additional revenue to the city.
- Overseeing the Boards and Commission Oversight Committee to create standardization for rules and procedures for boards, commissions, and task forces.
- Facilitating installation and training of City Council electronic voting system upgrades.
- Launching a Civility Program for public meetings.
- Supporting and rolling out the Lobbyist registration ordinance.
- Overseeing modernization of the City’s Print Shop.
- Increasing voter registration by promoting registration drives with local schools, colleges, and organizations, including promoting the County’s new voting centers.
- Providing fair and accessible elections for 18 general and two special elections; clerking and providing support for an average of 34 City Council meetings a year; and processing thousands of board and commission appointments, ordinances, resolutions, and contracts.
Anderson-Warren will remain in her position through the end of the year while the City, at Council’s direction, conducts a recruitment for her successor.
Media Contact
Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov