Six City of Sausalito employees were acknowledged for their outstanding performance at an awards ceremony during the annual staff holiday party on Thursday, December 18, 2025:

City Manager Awards
Battsetseg Chuluunbaatar (Payroll Specialist)
Pat Guasco (Public Works Division Manager)
Sara Khorshidifard, (Capital Planning and Projects Manager)

With this annual award, City Manager Chris Zapata acknowledges employees whose consistently outstanding performance sets a standard for others to follow:

• Battsetseg “Betty” Chuluunbaatar: Every payday, we thank Betty for the painstaking work she does to ensure that all of us receive accurate, timely paychecks.  She is also responsible for complex state and federal reporting, and we couldn’t do what we do without her!
• Pat Guasco is the go-to person for almost anything that comes up with our facilities. Always available, always happy and proud to jump in and be of service no matter the ask.
• With Sara Khorshidifard's steady nature and architecture background, she makes her mark on every project she undertakes. Her work on the Ferry Landside project was stellar and the revamping of Council chambers displays her heartfelt feeling that City Hall is the living room of the City, welcoming residents and visitors.

2025 Debbie Pagliaro Exceptional Customer Service Award: 
Parking Enforcement Officer Brigid Keegan. 

This recognition is awarded annually to a City Employee for going far beyond their day-to-day responsibilities to help a Sausalito resident, fellow employee, or visitor.

Brigid Keegan exemplifies extraordinary commitment and heartfelt service to the City of Sausalito through her commitment and time spent with Sausalito Village at their Souper Monday events. Her dedication and genuine connection with the older residents of our town embody the spirit of compassion and community that this award seeks to honor.

Through her work at Souper Monday, held on the first Monday of every month, Brigid has done far more than fulfilling a task, she has built meaningful relationships with many of the older residents in town. She makes every effort to join them each month, taking the time to truly know the people she serves, listening to their stories, noticing their needs, and offering comfort and friendship. What sets Brigid apart is the care she brings to every interaction. She does not simply serve a meal; she serves with heart. Her presence has become something the community looks forward to each month, especially among seniors who may sometimes feel isolated or overlooked.

Brigid’s consistent presence and dedication at Souper Monday have had a meaningful impact on the lives of many of our older community members, providing not only nourishment but connection, dignity, and joy, all while representing the Sausalito Police Department. For these reasons, and for the countless small acts of kindness she offers month after month, Brigid is greatly deserving of the Debbie Pagliaro Exceptional Customer Service award by going above and beyond.

2025 Extreme Act of Kindness Award: 
Police Sergeant Edgar Padilla 

This recognition is awarded annually to a City Employee for providing consistently excellent customer service or for a single outstanding instance of exceptional customer service.

Sergeant Edgar Padilla and his patrol team were given the heartbreaking responsibility of notifying the mother of 25-year-old fallen La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on October 20, 2025. Officer Craven lost her life while stopping to assist at a crash on Interstate 8 in San Diego, where she was struck by a vehicle driven by a DUI driver.

Sergeant Padilla and Corporal Clerici responded to Officer Craven’s mother’s residence to deliver the devastating news. While death notifications are an unfortunate and difficult part of our profession, the human element in these moments are profound and often leave and lasting impact on our officers and those we interact with. Sergeant Padilla and Corporal Clerici demonstrated exceptional compassion, empathy, and patience. They spent several hours with Officer Craven’s mother, consoling her and ensuring she was not alone. Sgt Padilla also requested the response of our chaplain, Paul Mowry, to provide additional support during this unimaginable time.

In the days that followed, Sergeant Padilla maintained regular contact with Officer Craven’s mother, offering guidance, support, and reassurance wherever he could. The following week, Sergeant Padilla, Corporal Clerici, and Chaplain Mowry traveled to San Diego to stand by her side during the memorial service, joining thousands of others honoring Officer Craven and assisted the La Mesa Police Department with service logistics and family support needs.

When Officer Craven returned home to Marin County, Sergeant Padilla helped coordinate and participate in the procession escorting her home. Throughout the entire process, he remained in close contact with her mother, providing continued comfort and care during an extraordinarily difficult and emotional time. He continues to stay in touch with her, ensuring she feels supported long after the initial tragedy.

All involved in this tragedy showed great compassion and professionalism. Sergeant Padilla’s compassion, professionalism, and unwavering kindness during this tragic event exemplify the very best of our values. His actions reflect not only his character but also the standard of humanity and service we strive to uphold. For these reasons, we believe Sergeant Edgar Padilla is highly deserving of the Extreme Act of Kindness Award.

2025 Herb Weiner Getting the Job Done Award:
Marketing & Communications Coordinator Tessa Paoli

In honor of Herbie’s dedication and contributions to the City of Sausalito and its residents, an annual Award called the Herb Weiner Getting the Job Done Award started in 2020. Herbie was known for being able to see when something needed to be done and jumping in to make sure it got done. This Award is for City employees who exhibit the ability to get things done when most needed.

Tessa Paoli took on the new role of Marketing & Communications Coordinator as part of City organizational transition when Tabitha Abbot retired in June. Tessa has embraced this new hybrid position, making the most of it every day! She continues to build on the success of the Currents E-Newsletter which provides an invaluable resource for our residents and other members of the public. Tessa seeks out stories, rounds up content, writes and edits material, and publishes – the amount of informative and relevant content in the newsletter increases every week. She artfully juggles the demands of Currents and the library -- not only is Currents a huge success, but Tessa is also doing an amazing job with library programming by developing and promoting classes and events that serve our residents and visitors.