Orlando Acevedo
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Apple Valley
Apple Valley, CA USA
“It’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay to have that fear. It’s how you manage that fear that moves you through on to the next stage.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationOrlando Acevedo
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Growing up, I liked to debate with people and thought I’d go into law when I got older.
My friend had a game called SimCity that I really enjoyed playing—the game essentially taught you how to manage a city, which was fascinating to me.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in social and political science from Azusa Pacific University.
After graduating, I thought I’d go into teaching—I substituted for about a year but quickly realized that teaching wasn’t for me.
I pivoted and started my career as an intern for the City of Rancho Cucamonga and the Town of Apple Valley.
After three years working as an administrative intern, assistant, and analyst for the Town of Apple Valley, I was able to move up to become an economic development specialist.
From there, I continued to work my way up progressively through the organization until landing at my current position as assistant town manager.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Social and Political Science
Azusa Pacific University
Social and Political Science
Azusa Pacific University
Career
Assistant Town Manager
I guide business growth, connect ideas across departments, and shape an equitable community we proudly call home.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Government
Politics
Working with Others
Day to Day
As the assistant town manager, my days are aimed at bettering our community. I meet with businesses looking to expand, helping them navigate approvals efficiently. Other times I connect ideas between departments to creatively meet emerging needs. My role allows me to build relationships and opportunities so all people can thrive here. Whether moving a cool new restaurant concept forward or envisioning a museum, I get to shape a welcoming and equitable town we can be proud to call home.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Always be studying, learning, and growing. Fostering that growth mentality is crucial. Be willing to explore try new things. A lot of my success early on came from never saying no. When you're starting out, you want to say yes to everything in order to grow your knowledge base and experience. Sometimes you'll need to create your own opportunities. When I started, I cold called the cities to inquire about internships. Be intentional and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Cancer Survivor
