Reena Brilliot

City Builder

Reena Brilliot is an experienced urban planning professional currently serving as the Acting Director of Community Development at the City of Santa Clara.1 Her career in city planning, economic development, and municipal services spans over 20 years, during which she has held various positions of increasing responsibility.1

Career Progression

Brilliot's career at the City of Santa Clara has evolved as follows:

Acting Director of Community Development (January 2024 - Present) In this role, she leads and oversees a department of approximately 100 staff members, providing city planning, building, and housing services.1
Assistant Director of Community Development (October 2021 - January 2024) As the city's first Assistant CDD Director, she supported the oversight of projects, operations, policy work, and administration of three divisions.1
Assistant to the City Manager & Planning Manager (April 2018 - October 2021) In this dual role, she led the City Planning and Code Enforcement staff and operations while also taking on citywide responsibilities.1

Previous Experience

Before her tenure at Santa Clara, Brilliot worked for the City of San José in various capacities:

Interim Division Manager, Planning (December 2016 - June 2017)
Environmental Services Specialist (November 2009 - February 2014)
City Planner (prior to 2009)

Achievements and Responsibilities

Throughout her career, Brilliot has:

Managed teams of up to 100 staff members
Overseen budgets of up to $53 million
Led transformative process improvements and major land use policy initiatives
Facilitated community meetings and presentations to city councils and planning commissions
Expedited the development of over 1.5 million square feet of commercial/industrial projects

Reena Brilliot is known for her passion for helping communities build dynamic and inclusive places, as well as her commitment to helping team members reach their full potential.1