El Dorado County supervisors name new chief administrative officer

Don Ashton, El Dorado County’s director of health and human services, has been named the county’s chief administrative officer.

Ashton’s appointment follows a national candidate recruitment effort conducted by the Board of Supervisors with the assistance of Rocklin-based Ralph Andersen & Associates, according to a county news release.

Ashton has served as director of the county’s Health and Human Services Agency since July 2013. He previously was chief fiscal officer for Sheriff John D’Agostini as well as a principal analyst in the Chief Administrative Office.

“The Board of Supervisors was most impressed by Ashton’s professionalism, collaborative leadership approach, his level of integrity and transparency, and finally his emphasis on working closely with the community to best meet the needs of El Dorado County residents and visitors,” according a written statement issued by the county Tuesday.

Ashton has a bachelor’s degree in environmental health and safety, as well as a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Northridge.

Before moving to El Dorado County in January 2011, Ashton worked for Los Angeles County for more than 17 years in a variety of leadership positions, including budget/finance, human resources, strategic planning and as deputy executive officer in the Executive Office of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 7:02 PM with the headline "El Dorado County supervisors name new chief administrative officer."