Skip to main content
San Mateo County Employees' Retirement Association
Menu Menu
Header link

MySamCERA

Header link

Contact Us

Menu pod highlight

Are you getting ready to retire?
There are some important things inactive members should know about retirement

Menu pod highlight

Learn more about your COLA
Get this year's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), plus find out how COLA is calculated

Menu pod highlight

Get an accurate retirement benefits estimate
Login to MySamCERA for the most accurate look at your future pension

Board of Retirement

Board of Retirement Members

Overview

Board of Retirement Members

SamCERA’s Board of Retirement has nine members and two alternates.

The Board  includes the San Mateo County Treasurer, four appointees of the Board of Supervisors, four elected members chosen by the differing active and retiree SamCERA membership groups, and two elected alternates.

Profile

Sandie Arnott
Ex Officio per the 1937 Act, First Member

Sandie Arnott is the San Mateo County Treasurer/Tax Collector and is a member of the Retirement Board by virtue of her office. She first began serving in this office in January 2011, but served as Assistant County Treasurer for many years during which she was also active on the Retirement Board. Her current term as Treasurer/Tax Collector will expire on December 31, 2026. Sandie is currently serving as Board Secretary.

Profile

Katherine O’Malley
Elected by the General Members, Second Member

Katherine O’Malley has been with the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections Department since 2012, and she is currently a Principal Appraiser in the Assessor’s Division. She was first elected to the Board of Retirement in 2018 and is now serving her third term on the Board. Her current term will expire on June 30, 2027.

Profile

Vacant
Elected by the General Members, Third Member

Profile

Elaine Orr
Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, Fourth Member

Elaine Orr is a CFA with experience as a retirement system trustee and board member. She was previously Director, Investments with Silicon Valley Community Foundation and has held various roles at BlackRock advising and building investment solutions for pensions, foundations and endowments. She was initially appointed to the Board in 2021, and her current term will expire on June 30, 2027. 

Profile

Kimathi Marangu
Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, Fifth Member

Kimathi currently serves as the Global Head of Prepaid for Visa, Inc. and his financial career includes working for Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Apple, and Cartera Commerce. He has served on volunteer boards of the American Red Cross, the Stanford Business School Funds and others. In addition, Kimathi holds a Bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and an MBA from Stanford Business School. Kimathi is serving his first term on the Board, which will expire on June 30, 2025, and he is currently serving as Vice Chair.

Profile

Rachel Perkel
Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, Sixth Member

Rachel Perkel has over 30 years of experience in wealth management, impacting investing, and asset management, including roles at Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab, and Toniic. As the leader of Wells Fargo Private Bank business in Silicon Valley, Rachel oversaw over $3 billion in client assets. Rachel is committed to community service, having served on the Board of LifeMoves and led local philanthropic efforts at Wells Fargo. Rachel is serving her first term on the Board, which will expire on June 30, 2027.

Profile

Robert Raw
Elected by the Safety Members, Seventh Member

Robert Raw is a Sergeant who was hired by the Sheriff’s Department in 2012. He was first elected to the Board of Retirement in 2018 and is currently serving his third term on the Board. His current term will expire on June 30, 2027.

Profile

Alma Salas
Elected by the Retired Members, Eighth Member

Alma Salas was a Probation Services Manager with the San Mateo County Probation Department before her retirement in May 2013. Alma first joined the Board in May of 2001 and served as Board Chair during the 2004-05 fiscal year. She was elected in 2013 to serve as the Retiree Alternate and was reelected in 2016 and 2019. She was elected to serve as Eighth Member on the Board in June 2022, and her current term will expire on June 30, 2025. Alma is currently serving as Board Chair.

Profile

Kurt Hoefer
Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, Ninth Member

Kurt Hoefer is a partner at Golub Group, LLC. As an investment adviser and investment banker, he has provided strategic and financial advice to institutions and individuals. He was first appointed by the Board of Supervisors in September 2016, and he was reappointed in 2019 and 2022. His current term will expire on June 30, 2025. 

Profile

Nicole McKay
Elected by the Retired Members, Retiree Alternate

Nicole was elected to the Retiree Alternate seat in June 2022. In this role, she substitutes in the absence of the Eighth Member. Prior to her retirement, Nicole worked for San Mateo County and the San Mateo Superior Court for more than 29 years, retiring as the Employee Relations Manager for San Mateo County’s Human Resources Department. Her current term will expire on June 30, 2025.

Profile

April DeCarsky
Elected by the Safety Members, Safety Alternate

April DeCarsky is a Deputy Probation Officer III with the Probation Department. She is currently serving her first full term on the Board of Retirement which will expire on June 30, 2027. She was first elected to serve a partial term as Safety Alternate in 2023. The Safety Alternate board member substitutes in the absence of the Second, Third, or Seventh member. Additionally, if the Eighth member and Retiree alternate are absent, they substitute for the Eighth member. 

Pod

Do you have a question for SamCERA?
Call or send us an email.

Pod

Board Meeting Location
SamCERA's Boardroom is on the first floor of 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 160, Redwood City, CA 94065