Michelle Rivera joined the City of McAllen in July 2014 as an Assistant City Manager following successful stints in the City of Mercedes as Assistant City Manager, and as Planning Director and Interim Assistant City Manager for the City of Harlingen. In her capacity she oversees all of the development services departments which include Engineering, Planning, Building Inspections, Environmental Health and Code Enforcement, Grants, and Strategic Planning. She also oversees the City Secretary, Vital Statistics, Passports and Tax Offices. Ms. Rivera has 27 years municipal experience in the three cities she has served overseeing nearly all aspects of community development and services.
She holds a Bachelor’s of Environmental Planning from Arizona State University, and a Master’s of Urban Planning from Texas A&M. Ms. Rivera is a Certified Public Manager and earned a national planning certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners. She is a member of the American Planning Association, Texas City Management Association previously serving as President of Region 10 and two terms as the region’s State Board Representative, and is a member of the International City Management Association. Most recently she has become an ICMA credentialed manager.
As a long-time member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, she has previously taught youth Sunday school and served as a school board member for St. Paul Academy and led Girl Scout troops for over a decade. She has two daughters – one working on a doctorate of pharmacy and the other about to graduate high school.