Baker had served as Acting Deputy City Manager since January 2015 when she assumed most of the portfolio Jinks held as Deputy City Manager prior to his appointment by City Council as City Manager.
“Emily has done an outstanding job in her role as Acting Deputy City Manager, by advancing major City projects and providing oversight of many of the City’s core services,” said Jinks. “I am confident she will continue to serve Alexandria well in the permanent role. “
Baker is responsible for overseeing and facilitating the City’s land use, planning, zoning, historic preservation, transportation, environmental protection, code administration, affordable housing, tourism, recreation, parks, cultural activities and museum functions.
Baker joined the City in 2000. After her appointment as the first Director of the Department of Project Implementation in 2013, she supervised the initial implementation of the City’s Waterfront Plan. She previously served as the City Engineer and Deputy Director of the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), where she handled the Engineering Design and Construction Divisions. Baker has also served as Acting Director of T&ES. Over her 20-plus years of experience, Baker has overseen the design and construction of projects in both the public and private sectors. She has provided leadership, project management, and technical oversight for multi-million dollar, large capital infrastructure projects.
Baker has been a resident of Alexandria for 22 years and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia and Maryland. She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech, and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.
