The Orange County Board of Supervisors has officially approved a contract appointing Chief Information Officer KC Roestenberg as the county’s new Interim Chief Executive Officer. Following a vote during a closed session on June 9, the Board formalized the agreement at their public meeting in Santa Ana, California.
Mr. Roestenberg will officially step into his new executive duties on June 26, 2026. He assumes leadership at a critical time, taking over the management of a massive municipal landscape. In his new role, he will oversee:
- A massive $10.5 billion regional budget
- 23 separate county departments
- More than 18,000 employment positions
Leadership Transition and Executive Retirement
The appointment follows the upcoming retirement of current Chief Executive Officer Michelle Aguirre. Ms. Aguirre, who has served as the county’s top administrator, is officially retiring from public service. Her departure on Friday concludes a dedicated tenure guiding county operations, prompting the Board to establish temporary leadership while they continue their executive search strategy.
Meet Interim CEO KC Roestenberg
Mr. Roestenberg transitions into the CEO role with a deeply established history within the local government’s leadership infrastructure. He brings more than forty years of multi-sector information technology experience spanning public, commercial, and private environments at both state and local levels. His professional timeline with the county includes several key milestones:
- 2007: Joined the County of Orange as an Executive Manager within the Information Technology division of the CEO’s office.
- 2022: Promoted to the role of Chief Information Officer, managing the day-to-day operations, performance, and development of the county’s digital infrastructure.
- September 2024: Formalized and expanded his ongoing role as Chief Information Officer for the County of Orange.
Mr. Roestenberg’s extensive operational knowledge of the county’s internal technology and department frameworks is expected to provide organizational stability during the administrative transition.