14 Jan Burgis, Carlson Take Top Leadership Roles on Contra Costa Board

Ken Carlson, left, was sworn in as Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors chair on Tuesday. Diane Burgis, in green jacket, was sworn in as chair. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy and Danielle Parenteau-Decker

The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors named Supervisor Diane Burgis its chair and Supervisor Ken Carlson its vice chair for 2026 at its Tuesday meeting, as the county faces what she described as “complex challenges.”

Burgis served as vice chair for the previous year and succeeds District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen. She has represented District 3 since 2016, which encompasses Brentwood, Oakley and parts of Antioch as well as the unincorporated communities of Bethel Island, Blackhawk, Byron, Diablo, Discovery Bay and Knightsen.

“At a time when our communities are facing complex challenges, I look forward to advancing solutions that strengthen emergency preparedness and public safety, expand access to mental health services, and ensure County government remains responsive, equitable, and accountable to the residents we serve,” said Burgis in a press release.

Burgis said at the meeting that her goal as the newly appointed chair is to “bring people together” in the face of increased division.

“We have a lot here in Contra Costa that we can be proud of, and we can show people how we can do better,” she added.

The leadership shift also makes Carlson the board’s first openly LGBTQ+ member to serve in the role, and positions him to serve as chair next year.

“This year gives us the opportunity to strengthen systems that we’ve built over many years, as well as to reaffirm our values and how we put our values into action,” said Carlson at the meeting.

His District 4 includes the cities of Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek. He also represents Contra Costa Centre, Morgan Territory Road, Ayers Ranch, and many areas in unincorporated Walnut Creek, including North Gate, San Miguel and Shell Ridge.

“Alongside Chair Burgis and the full Board, my focus will be on delivering practical solutions that support public safety, promote mental health and well-being, and reflect the values of the diverse communities we represent,” Carlson also said in the release.

Burgis serves on more than 30 board and regional committees and chairs the county Economic Development Committee and California Delta Protection Council.

According to her biography on the county website, her “priorities include protecting and enhancing the Delta ecosystem and water quality; promoting public safety with improved fire protection and law enforcement coverage; addressing the homelessness and housing affordability crisis; improving mental health response; bringing more services to East County; and building our local economy to bring jobs closer to home.”

Carlson is a former Concord police officer and city council member and mayor in Pleasant Hill. His biography says he prioritizes “vulnerable communities, immigrant rights, and animal welfare.” As supervisor, he has helped expand Stand Together Contra Costa, which provides legal services for immigrants, and the county’s Basic Health Care Program to cover undocumented residents. Carlson has also secured funding for spay/neuter clinics for low-income pet owners, the Community Youth Center in Concord, and the county’s Services and Access for Everyone center.

In the past year, the board responded to the then-delayed CalFresh benefits with a $21 million allocation and upped free food support for county residents before the benefits were reissued and heard community calls for a non-cooperation policy with federal immigration authorities and residents’ concerns about the Sheriff’s Office’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Burgis and Carlson will lead the five-member board, which also includes Supervisors John Gioia in District 1 and Shanelle Scales-Preston in District 5 and manages a $7.16 billion budget.