2024 Brings Changes to Edina’s Executive Leadership Team

Two notable changes in the City of Edina’s Administration and Finance departments took effect in the first quarter of 2024 and will be reflected in the Executive Leadership Team’s staff structure going forward.

The hiring of Ari Lenz as Assistant City Manager brings valuable experience to the Administration Department, as several high-profile projects are slated for the upcoming year. Lenz, who worked for the City in 2012 and 2013, returned to Edina in January, bringing a vast knowledge of local government to the team.

Lenz has worked in local government nearly her whole career, starting as a Management Intern for Johnson County, Kansas, during her colligate years at the University of Kansas where she earned a master’s degree in Public Administration. Post-grad, Lenz returned from the Great Plains to Minnesota, and began a City Management Fellowship with the City of Edina.

“My time in Edina made a huge impact on my career -- how I view the role of a local government manager, and the type of manager I want to be,” she said. “I got to see what quality public service looks like and learn from some of the best department directors in the business.”

In her role as Assistant City Manager, Lenz manages the Administration Department, which presently includes Community Engagement, Race & Equity and the office of the City Clerk. In addition to these responsibilities, the Assistant City Manager oversees the Finance and Human Resources departments and backs up the City Manager.

Before accepting the position with Edina, Lenz worked for nearly eight years at the City of Hopkins as Assistant City Manager. It was at Hopkins where Lenz became skilled in many of the areas she will be overseeing as Edina’s Assistant City Manager, with diversity and inclusion and community engagement being two of her biggest strengths.

Having worked in one of the most diverse cities in the metro, Lenz has firsthand experience engaging with a high percentage of residents who rent, speak multiple languages and come from varying racial and socio-economic statuses. “I learned a lot about systemic disparities and enjoy culture-building, rebuilding and creating a sense of community where people feel a sense of pride and belonging,” Lenz said.

Promoting the City’s organizational culture is another important task for Lenz. “It takes intentional, hard work to understand and influence an organizational culture, but when done well, it increases productivity, employee engagement and overall performance. Culture, and creating the type of environment where we can do big things, is a top priority for me,” she said.

Lenz sees herself as a natural problem solver, whose ability to understand concepts quickly and connect them produces innovative, compelling and practical solutions. “I have really strong communication skills and I value employee engagement, which I believe creates a strong, honest culture where we can do really hard things but have fun while doing it.”

City Manager Scott Neal will work closely with Lenz. “Ari will be my right-hand person. I expect to learn from her, and vice versa. I trust her,” Neal said. “I appreciate Ari’s energy, intellect and work ethic. She is a good fit for our organization, and I think she is going to excel here.”

When asked about her return to the City, Lenz described Edina as “a community with a very strong reputation for professional management and top-notch government services. … The City Council and staff take the responsibility of public service seriously and are willing to get creative and innovate to provide the best possible services for the community.”

In Finance, Pa Thao in February began her new role as the department’s Director, responsible for overseeing the department’s internal and external activities.  

Thao began working for the City of Edina two years ago as an Auditing and Accounting Coordinator. She was quickly promoted to the department’s Assistant Director. A graduate of Concordia University in St. Paul with a degree in Accounting and Finance, “Thao’s experience in both public and private settings” made her a strong, well-rounded candidate for the job,” Neal said.

Thao was promoted once again within the organization in late 2023 to succeed Alisha McAndrews as Edina’s Finance Director. In 2022, McAndrews’ husband had taken a job in the state which resulted in the decision to move permanently, opening up the opportunity for Thao. “Pa brings strong technical skills to the job and is not afraid to roll up her sleeves to tackle tough problems,” McAndrews said.

As Finance Director, Thao will be heavily involved in the strategic vision of the team, bond issuance, and forecasting the financial health of the City through the annual budget and Capital Improvement Plan. The importance of customer service from a finance perspective is important to Thao, as well, and she intends to set that tone “from the top down” to help all clients going forward. Thao is excited to “bridge the gap” in terms of assisting other departments, which she predicts will “bring more meaning to their roles.” Additional training for the Finance team is another goal for Thao, as she cites that the opportunities the City has provided to grow as an employee have stood out during her time with Edina.

Creating a positive work environment is another key going forward for Thao. “There’s a stereotype that finance people are boring and that we’re so grey. … I want to bring enthusiasm to our roles and be able to have fun which is another way to bring meaning to your job,” Thao said.

Some of Thao’s top goals are overseeing the annual audit which will run from February to June and allocating funds for expansions at Braemar Arena and construction of a new Fire Station 2.

“It’s about knowing what you want, and if an opportunity arises, to not lose sight of it,” Thao said when asked about what inspired her to take the new position. “Edina is a great city and the people I get to work with make it so worth it.”

For more information on the City’s departments, visit EdinaMN.gov.