2026 Quarter one employee recognitions

The City of San Rafael is proud to recognize Lynette Starnes as Employee of the Quarter and the Communications Dispatcher Team as Team of the Quarter for 2026 Q1, honoring their exceptional contributions to the organization and the community.

Lynette truly embodies the Together San Rafael guiding principles in her day-to-day work.

With more than 30 years of service to the City, Lynette has spent over 15 of them as the driving force behind the Police Department's training program, coordinating more than 150 trainings each year for nearly 100 employees across more than 23 internal work groups.

Her commitment to the department's training program directly strengthens the Police Department's performance, professionalism, and ability to serve San Rafael at the highest level.

Lynette consistently treats every team member with fairness and equity, finding creative solutions to make trainings accessible to all employees. Her approachability and professionalism have earned her trust and respect across the department and the City.

Supervised by Alexis Nielsen, Police Support Services Supervisor, and led by Lead Communications Dispatcher Liz Paez, this dedicated team - Anna Fulgado, Saskia Van Buuren, Natassja Kenerly, Miranda Martinez, Caitlin Copenhaver, Paige Graham, Vanessa Carrillo, Marissa Carney, Lori Hendricks, Peggy Ruge, Anndora Lee, and Charles Taylor - exemplifies the Together San Rafael guiding principles through their unwavering commitment to public safety and community service.

The team demonstrates remarkable resilience and adaptability, flexing to cover staffing needs and finding creative solutions under pressure to ensure the safety of officers and residents alike. They also foster an inclusive, supportive environment where new dispatchers are mentored and knowledge is shared openly, building a strong and capable team for the future.