City of Carson names Regina Youngblood as HR and Risk Management director

The City of Carson has appointed Regina Youngblood, ICMA-CM, to lead Human Resources and Risk Management, bringing more than 20 years of public-sector leadership to the role. The hire is meant to support workforce modernization, employee relations and organizational performance as the city continues to strengthen its operations.

Why it matters: - Regina Youngblood will help shape how the City of Carson hires, supports and retains employees. - The appointment also puts risk management under a leader with broad municipal operations experience. - City leaders say the hire supports efforts to build a more accountable and high-performing workplace.

What happened: - The City of Carson appointed Regina Youngblood, ICMA-CM, as Director of Human Resources and Risk Management. - The announcement was made on Oct. 8, 2026. - Youngblood most recently served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Hayward. - In Hayward, Youngblood oversaw Human Resources, Information Technology, Library Services, administrative services and citywide organizational initiatives. - Youngblood previously spent eight years as Director of Human Resources for the City of Durham, North Carolina.

The details: - Youngblood brings more than two decades of public-sector leadership experience. - Her background includes human resources, organizational transformation, municipal operations, fiscal management and employee relations. - Her career has included work on workforce modernization, recruitment and retention, classification and compensation, labor and employee relations, performance management, organizational redesign and technology implementation. - In Durham, Youngblood created the HR Connect centralized service model. - The HR Connect model produced a significant increase in outstanding customer service. - Youngblood has also held leadership roles with Washington DC Public Schools, Dallas Independent School District and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority. - City Manager David Roberts said Youngblood brings executive leadership, technical expertise and a commitment to public service. - Roberts said Youngblood’s experience will support a workplace built on accountability, collaboration and excellent service. - Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said Youngblood’s experience and dedication will strengthen the workforce and support service to the Carson community. - Youngblood said she is honored to join the City of Carson and wants Human Resources and Risk Management to be trusted, responsive and strategic partners. - Youngblood said her focus will be on listening, understanding the organization’s needs and building people, processes and systems that help employees do their best work.

Between the lines: - Carson is signaling that HR is a core management function, not just an administrative one. - The city appears to be prioritizing modernization, employee experience and operational consistency across departments. - Youngblood’s mix of HR, IT and city management experience suggests a role that will likely touch both workplace culture and internal systems.

What's next: - Youngblood will take over responsibilities tied to workforce strategy, employee relations and risk management. - Carson will likely look for her to continue modernization efforts and strengthen internal service delivery. - The city did not provide a start date in the announcement.

The bottom line: - Carson is betting on an experienced municipal leader to help improve workforce operations and support citywide service delivery.