Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Julie Jacobson, who retired as Auburn’s town manager on Jan. 31, was honored by fellow women officials at the Nov. 3 meeting of Women Leading Government in Oxford.
After several decades working in local government and using her experience to help others in the profession, Julie Jacobson retired as Auburn’s town manager on Jan. 31 after 12 years in the role.
Previously, she served for many years in the city of Worcester, over two separate periods. She first worked in several economic development roles, including economic development director, in the city’s Office of Planning and Community Development, from 1985 to 2001, and returned in 2004 to serve for more than six years as assistant city manager. In between, she held several roles at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Jacobson has also been deeply engaged with the work of the MMA. She served for several years on the MMA Board of Directors and on its Executive Committee; for two years as president of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association (after serving as the second and first vice president); as chair and co-chair of the Women Leading Government Committee; as a member of the MMA Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration and the Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment; and as a member of the Management Association’s Form of Government Committee. She also served as the MMA appointee to the Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board.
Jacobson has received numerous honors for her work, including the 30-year service award from the International City/County Management Association. In 2019, she was a finalist for the Leadership Trailblazer Award, presented annually by the League of Women in Government and the National Research Center to recognize accomplished local government leaders who support and inspire other women.
In retirement, Jacobson said she hopes to spend time with friends and family, travel, and stay involved in local government in some capacity. She said she hopes to continue mentoring people in the profession, and to continue being a member of the Women Leading Government Committee.
Last May, the Select Board appointed Edward Kazanovicz, a long-time Auburn employee, as the town manager after Jacobson’s departure. Kazanovicz had been serving as the assistant town manager and chief financial officer.
Kazanovicz has worked in Auburn since 1995 and has almost four decades of municipal finance and administrative experience. He previously served for 11 years as the assistant city auditor in Lowell. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Worcester State College.