Michael Ghizzoni to Take Over as County Counsel in December
Dennis Marshall Retiring After Five Years in the Top Spot
Michael Ghizzoni, who has served as Santa Barbara County’s chief assistant counsel since 2008, will be taking over as county counsel in December, when current county counsel Dennis Marshall retires.
Ghizzoni, whose promotion was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors on November 12, started working for the department in 2004, when he joined the litigation unit. He had lived in Santa Barbara before that, he said, when he served as a skipper of a Coast Guard patrol boat that was stationed in the area. His background also includes a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut and a law degree from UC Davis.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity, and we have a great group of people here,” said Ghizzoni. “I think the transition will be pretty straightforward.”
After working as county counsel for more than five years, Marshall said he will miss Santa Barbara but that he is moving to Clovis to be closer to his kids and grandchildren. Marshall’s last day is December 20; Ghizzoni starts on December 23. According to the county’s human resources department, Ghizzoni will be making $179,000 per year.
