Cristina White
City Administrator
City of Warrenville
Tell us about your journey into the profession:
I had a non-traditional path into local government. After pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from Dominican University, I spent several months interviewing for human resources positions with private sector companies. I was sharing my struggles to find the right position with a friend, who worked in local government, and she suggested I look at a job opening for the Executive Assistant position to the City Manager in the City of Wood Dale. I learned so much in that experience, and was fortunate to be promoted into an HR role after about a year. After a few years in Human Resources roles, I accepted the position of Assistant City Administrator for the City of Warrenville in 2016, and then was promoted to City Administrator in 2022.
Why is local government a good career path?
There are countless opportunities to participate in work that is challenging, interesting, and meaningful. The projects we work on and the issues we address are important and have a lasting impact on the community and the organization.
Fun fact about yourself:
I love to travel to other parts of the world. Experiencing the culture of a new place and meeting new people always brings me joy. As a way to prepare for the trip, I like to listen to audiobooks to learn basic words and phrases in the language
If you could give one piece of advice to future local government leaders, what would it be?
I have two:
1) Embrace lifelong learning and stay curious. Everything changes, so continue to adapt and evolve to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
2) Help the people around you grow by encouraging them to problem solve and challenging them to present solutions (not just problems).
Shows/music/books you’re currently watching/listening to/reading:
Currently listening to Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, and Kelsea Ballerini
I just started Multipliers by Liz Wiseman
Hobbies:
Travel, reading, concerts, and theater.
