Lilly T. Simmering
Santa Ana,USA
Summary
Accomplished leader with extensive experience in federal and local government operations, notably with the County of Orange and the USDA. Excelled in strategic planning, implementing high-impact initiatives, and fostering C-suite level collaborations. Demonstrated expertise in public policy and strategic communications, achieving a 67.5% success rate in critical housing programs. Skilled in government advocacy with a knack for securing significant funding and enhancing organizational efficiency.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Deputy County Executive Officer
County Executive Office, County of Orange
Santa Ana, USA
09.2020 - 09.2024
- Leadership and Oversight: Oversaw 13 direct reports, including 10 department heads managing key County agencies (e.g., Social Services, Health Care, Public Works, and Child Support Services) and 3 executive directors, including the Office of Care Coordination.
Directed the work of departments impacting over 3.2 million residents in Orange County, ensuring alignment with County goals and initiatives. - Strategic Oversight of Countywide Initiatives: Led 20 performance audits across departments, improving operational efficiency and ensuring alignment with strategic goals. Successfully implemented three Board-directed initiatives addressing critical issues: climate change mitigation, refugee resettlement programs, and the Master Plan on Aging. Managed the County’s Grand Jury responses and streamlined the Agenda Staff Report process to improve decision-making and transparency.
- Trusted Advisor to Leadership: Acted as a senior advisor to the Board of Supervisors, County Executive Officer, and municipal stakeholders, influencing policies and initiatives that shaped programs with countywide impact. Provided strategic guidance that directly impacted policy alignment and operational excellence across agencies serving a diverse population.
- Innovation Program Design and Implementation: Delivered the County’s $20M System of Care Data Integration System (SOCDIS), integrating data from nine County databases (criminal justice, social services, behavioral health, etc.) using advanced tools such as IBM Match Connect 360 and Watson Care Manager. Designed and implemented the Care Plus Program (CPP), facilitating cross-departmental collaboration between Health and Human Services (HHS) and Criminal Justice. Resulted in permanent housing for 135 of the 200 most chronically homeless individuals, achieving a 67.5% success rate for this high-priority population.
- National Recognition for Innovation: Earned selection as one of three national Peer Learning sites by the National Association of Counties (NACO) through the Familiar Faces Initiative, recognizing best practices in data integration for justice-involved populations.
- Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Planning: Led efforts to draft and implement four major HHS strategies and action plans, including: System of Care Policy, Integrated Services Vision 2025/OC Cares Initiative, Commission to End Homelessness Pillars Strategy, and Stepping Up Initiative. Coordinated input from over 100 stakeholders, ensuring strategies aligned with community needs and organizational objectives.
- Program Launch and Execution: Successfully launched the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and the Office of Climate Change/Sustainability, transforming Board-directed concepts into fully operational programs aligned with long-term strategic goals.
- Advocacy and Resource Acquisition: Secured $20M in state and federal earmarks, supporting key initiatives such as the SOCDIS, Juvenile Justice Campus, and Be Well behavioral health campus. Directed interagency advocacy efforts, contributing to the passage of SB 1342 (2022), which enabled improved senior care coordination through data sharing between county agencies.
- Legislative and Policy Success: Designed and implemented a legislative strategy that supported the passage of landmark legislation, improving interagency collaboration and enhancing care outcomes for senior populations.
Assistant Director, Acting Public Health Director
Health Care Agency, County of Orange
Santa Ana, USA
09.2019 - 09.2020
- Oversaw Daily Operations: Managed the Orange County Health Care Agency (OC HCA), providing strategic leadership for a workforce of 2,800 employees and administering a $1 billion annual budget.
Directed operations across four critical divisions: Behavioral Health, Correctional Health, Public Health, and Regulatory & Emergency Medical Services, ensuring alignment with organizational and County priorities. - Executive Leadership and Strategic Oversight: Supervised division directors, providing strategic direction for agency-wide initiatives impacting over 3.2 million residents. Led the development and execution of long-term strategic initiatives while balancing County and legislative priorities, employee relations strategies, and operational excellence.
- Crisis Management and Response: Spearheaded the County's COVID-19 pandemic response, developing testing protocols, coordinating with federal, state, and local stakeholders, and implementing emergency response programs that protected public health and ensured operational continuity. Secured and distributed hundreds of thousands of units of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and addressed healthcare staffing shortages, ensuring service delivery during the crisis.
- Operational Productivity and Efficiency: Streamlined staffing and procurement processes for public health services, improving service delivery efficiency and reducing procurement lead times by 25%.
Addressed healthcare staffing shortages through innovative recruitment strategies and cross-departmental collaboration, ensuring critical services remained operational. - Compliance and Risk Mitigation:Designed and implemented a strategic action plan to enhance inmate access to health services, mitigating $100 million in potential litigation from Disability Rights California. Improved compliance with regulatory requirements across Correctional Health, Behavioral Health, and Emergency Services, reducing organizational risk and enhancing service delivery.
- Innovative Program Design:Established the nation’s first payor-agnostic behavioral health campus (Be Well/Orange), delivering a cross-sector care model focused on integrated health services and equitable access. Partnered with public and private sectors to implement the campus, serving as a model for innovation in behavioral health and increasing access to care for thousands of residents annually. Overhauled Environmenal Health's customer service policies and procedures to streamline processing and inspection of food businesses.
Deputy Chief Operating Officer
County Executive Office, County of Orange
Santa Ana, USA
12.2015 - 09.2019
- Strategic Program Leadership: Co-chaired the Stepping Up Data Integration Committee, establishing the foundational framework for the System of Care Data Integration System (SOCDIS) platform to improve cross-departmental data sharing and care coordination.
- Policy and Strategic Framework Development: Authored the Stepping Up Initiative Report and led the strategic planning process for the County's Integrated Services Vision 2025/OC Cares involving over 100 stakeholders. Built a data collection and analysis methodology with limited resources to develop SMART goals and an implementation plan aligned with CEO Budget Office process ultimately, delivering a comprehensive strategic roadmaps to address system-wide service delivery improvements.
- Resource Allocation and Housing Solutions: Coordinated the Board's directive to identify permanent supportive housing projects, strategically aligning $70.5 million in MHSA funds to address housing and mental health priorities.
- Business and Operations Planning: Led the development of the business and operations plan for the County's Service Center, ensuring operational alignment with strategic objectives and optimizing resource use.
- Technology Governance and Investment: Served on the County's Information Technology Investment Review Committee, evaluating and advising on technology investments to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and operational efficiency.
- Data Analytics and Crisis Management: Directed data analytics efforts for the 2018 Riverbed Homeless Encampment Removal Initiative, leveraging data-driven insights to guide strategic planning, resource allocation, and implementation outcomes.
- Senior-Level Management Liaison: Served as a trusted advisor and liaison to executive leadership, including the Board of Supervisors, County Executive Officer, and department heads, providing strategic guidance on county-wide operations, initiatives, and management directives.
- Operational Oversight and Governance: Supported 24 County departments in operations and management, overseeing the implementation of Board directives, and ensuring alignment with county policies and strategic goals.
- Executive Briefings and Strategic Reporting: Reviewed, approved, and briefed executive leadership on Agenda Staff Reports, ensuring clarity, alignment with priorities, and compliance with governance standards.
Food Economy Program Manager
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Seattle, USA
02.2014 - 09.2015
- Strategic Leadership and Oversight: Appointed by the King County Executive Officer to lead a county-wide agricultural initiative, setting a strategic goal to double local agricultural production from $93 million to $186 million within 10 years, while increasing the local food industry’s share of a $6 billion market and increase access to healthy foods for disadvantaged communities, especially children.
- Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership Development: Spearheaded a grassroots campaign to build strategic partnerships with food businesses, agribusinesses, academic institutions, non-profits, funders, and public officials, securing 36 industry and community leaders to serve on the initiative's advisory board. Developed relationships with over 200 stakeholders in the local food economy including Les Dames Escoffier/Seattle Chapter, Washington State University, Macrina Bakery, American Farmland Trust, and King County Conservation District.
- Strategic Planning Administration and Development of Strategic and Implementation Plans: Developed strategic planning methodology that incorporated data and stakeholder input to identify an achievable “end state” (Vision of Success) that could be supported by SMART goals and implementable action items. Applied an entrepreneurial approach to design an internal tracking and performance measurement systemfor the initiative's top 20 priority actions (2015-2017), ensuring accountability and alignment with strategic goals. Responsible for developing all communication tools regarding the Local Food Initiative and acted as the County’s spokesperson on local foods.
- Grant Acquisition and Funding Success: Drafted proposals, engaged in advocacy, and pulled together collaborations to secured $1.5 million in federal grant funding to support five community food projects, driving tangible outcomes for local agriculture and food security initiatives.
- Program Management and Resource Alignment: Directed internal and external teams to develop funding strategies, leveraging public and private grants and attracting private investment to drive sustainable financial support for the initiative. Primary advisor on County’s Request for Proposal on the Tall Chief Golf Course land conversion contract (i.e., converting golf course into agricultural farm).
- Trusted Advisor and Senior Management Liaison: Served as a senior advisor to executive leadership, collaborating with county officials, industry leaders, and community stakeholders to align objectives, address challenges, and ensure initiative success.
Director, Strategic Regulatory Policy
Boeing Capital Corporation
Renton, USA
09.2012 - 02.2014
- Strategic Advocacy and Regulatory Oversight: Managed advocacy strategies to establish and maintain a favorable regulatory environment for aircraft financing, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and global policy frameworks.
- Senior Management Liaison and Stakeholder Coordination: Served as a trusted advisor and liaison to government agencies, private sector leaders (e.g., Boeing, Airbus, Rolls Royce), and major financial institutions (e.g., Goldman Sachs, Citibank, JP Morgan) to build a coalition supporting international regulatory goals.
- Legislative and Policy Success: Led efforts to secure 10 national ratifications of the Cape Town Treaty, streamlining global financing regulations and enhancing cross-sector collaboration.
- Financial and Risk Management: Delivered $300 million in savings by leveraging political and economic analysis to develop and implement targeted advocacy strategies, reducing financial exposure and regulatory uncertainty.
- Global Impact and Regulatory Alignment: Successfully harmonized risk mitigation regulations within 18 months, enhancing the international aircraft financing environment and strengthening regulatory cohesion across key markets.
- Administrative Management: Managed program budget. Monitored revenues and expenditure as well as vacancy factor.
Acting Deputy Chief of Staff, International Trade Specialist
Foreign Agriculture Service, USDA
Washington, USA
09.2008 - 08.2012
- Executive Leadership and Strategic Oversight: Oversaw USDA's international agency operations, managing 700 employees across 93 overseas offices and directing trade and market access strategies for the agency's largest trade development portfolio and key trading partners.
- Senior Management Support: Served as a senior management liaison, providing strategic guidance to executive leadership on policy implementation, operational efficiency, and cross-border partnerships
- Strategy Development and Monitoring: Developed nine USDA Country Strategy Statements clearling outlining USDA agricultural priorities in eight sub-Saharan African countries and Canada. Created agency format for USDA Country Strategy Team meetings to ensure coordination on Country Strategy Statements goals and priorities, espeically on major issues such as: global food security, public health, GMO and biotechnology research, and trade tariffs.
- Strategic Policy and Market Planning: Designed and executed market access and policy plans to expand U.S agricultural market share in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa, aligning initiatives with national trade priorities and ensuring measurable outcomes
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: Developed an innovative market research model tailored for emerging markets, creating a foreign direct investment tool to drive U.S agricultural sector growth and strengthen international trade competitiveness
- High-Level Advocacy and Diplomacy: Led the coordination of two Secretarial foreign trade missions to Canada and sub-Saharan Africa, eight NAFTA/Consultative Committee on Agriculture meetings at the Deputy Under-Secretary level, four U.S. Ambassador country briefings, two sub-Saharan Agricultural Attache country breifings fostering high-level diplomatic engagement and advancing key trade objectives. Recognized in the agency as an expert on coordinating and managing senior-level diplomatic missions.
- International Negotiation and Stakeholder Coordination: Played a key leadership role in four NAFTA U.S.-Canada Consultative Committee on Agriculture trade forums and three Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) negotiations, securing agreements that enhanced market access and strengthened bilateral relationships.
Agricultural Marketing Specialist
Marketing Orders Administration Branch, USDA
Washington, USA
04.2006 - 09.2008
- Strategic Compliance Oversight: Served on USDA's Marketing Orders Administration Branch (MOAB) import compliance team, entrusted with enforcing U.S import regulations and ensuring the integrity of U.S. produce grades. Collaborated with senior leadership to align compliance practices with regulatory objectives and operational goals
- Audit and Risk Management: Conducted seven compliance audits of major U.S. agricultural associations, including The Almond Board of California, California Raisin Marketing Board, and California Tree Fruit Association, delivering executive-level briefings on findings and recommendations for corrective action.
- Leadership in Legal Strategy and Risk Mitigation: Led the investigation of the branch's two largest compliance cases, totaling over $2 million in damages.Played a key advisory role in developing the legal strategy that culminated in a U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of the U.S. government, setting a precedent for regulatory enforcement and compliance accountability.
Marketing Specialist
California Highlander Cooperative, Inc.
Fresno, CA
01.1997 - 10.2000
- Market Research: Compiled targeted or exhaustive marketing data based on needs of specific research projects. Conducted market research to identify trends and customer needs.
- Executive Support: Presented findings to management and executive leadership and fielded questions to help refine strategies.
- Marketing: Organized promotional events to increase brand awareness and customer engagement. Wrote comprehensive reports outlining findings and translating concepts for technical and non-technical audiences. Created marketing materials for international food trade shows.
Education
Juris Doctorate -
Western State University, College of Law
Fullerton, CA12.2003
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA12.2000
Bachelor of Arts - Public Relations
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA12.2000
Skills
- Federal and Local Government Operations
- C-Suite level Support and Experience
- Public Policy
- Food and Health Systems
- Government Advocacy and Grants Advocacy
- Strategic Planning and Implementation
- Administrative Management of Mid-to-Large Organizations, including Change and Resource Management
- Strategic Communications
Certification
Bar License, Active, Washington DC, 01/01/05
Publicationsandspeakingengagements
- King County Local Food Initiative, King County, Washington, 01/01/15
- Go Green Conference, Moderator, King County, Washington, 01/01/15
- Stepping Up Initiative, County of Orange, California, 01/01/17
- Integrated Services, 2025 Vision, County of Orange, California, 01/01/19
- County of Orange Integrated Services Offsite, Moderator, County of Orange, California, 01/01/19
- NACo Annual Conference & CIO Forum, IBM Panel, Panel Member, Virtual, 01/01/21
- NatCon23, County & National Approaches to Care for Justice-Involved Population, Panel Member, Los Angeles, California, 01/01/23
- Making HER Story, Panel Member, Irvine, California, 01/01/23
- NACo Familiar Faces Peer Learning Site Visit, Orange County, California, 06/01/24
Timeline
Deputy County Executive Officer
County Executive Office, County of Orange
09.2020 - 09.2024
Assistant Director, Acting Public Health Director
Health Care Agency, County of Orange
09.2019 - 09.2020
Deputy Chief Operating Officer
County Executive Office, County of Orange
12.2015 - 09.2019
Food Economy Program Manager
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
02.2014 - 09.2015
Director, Strategic Regulatory Policy
Boeing Capital Corporation
09.2012 - 02.2014
Acting Deputy Chief of Staff, International Trade Specialist
Foreign Agriculture Service, USDA
09.2008 - 08.2012
Agricultural Marketing Specialist
Marketing Orders Administration Branch, USDA
04.2006 - 09.2008
Marketing Specialist
California Highlander Cooperative, Inc.
01.1997 - 10.2000
Bar License, Active, Washington DC, 01/01/05
Juris Doctorate -
Western State University, College of Law
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
Pepperdine University
Bachelor of Arts - Public Relations
Pepperdine University
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