Prime Poway Woman No. 12: Penny Riley

Also Read: Highlighting 31 Prime Poway Women

Overseeing a city is no easy task. Moreover, overseeing a city through a recession and ending the fiscal year with a surplus is far from easy too.

But City Manager Penny Riley did it.

Riley, who moved to Poway in 1991 and has worked for the city since 1988, worked her way up. She started as an intern in the planning department, worked in a number of positions and eventually became the assistant city manager. In 2010, she was given the executive gig and became the first woman in Poway's history to snag it.

And she enjoys it all.

“Many days at the office are spent reading staff reports, analyzing budget figures and attending briefings,” she said. “I am most proud of mentoring staff and working with individuals to solve problems. This is part of my daily work, and I enjoy getting to know our residents better. My greatest accomplishment is budget balancing and program development for the city over the years. I am also pleased that I had the opportunity to lead the building team for the construction of the Poway City Hall complex.”

The Prime Poway Woman who's calling the shots at the city said Mother Teresa is just one of her role models.

What does Women's History Month mean to you?

“Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women by sharing interesting and little known success stories. I believe that women bring a style that is uniquely their own to volunteerism and the modern workplace.”