Ramsey County to interview county manager finalists

Following an extensive national search, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners have selected four finalists to interview for the position of county manager.

The finalists were chosen through a national search led by GovHR USA/MGT, starting in May 2024. The county received 54 applications, creating a diverse pool of highly qualified candidates.

The finalists are:

• Anthony Alongi
  Alongi currently serves as the section manager of Policy and Planning with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He has a Master of Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College. Prior to his current role, Alongi served as director for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and has served on the Hastings City Council.
• Ling Becker
  Becker currently serves as the director of Ramsey County Workforce Solutions and the executive director of the Ramsey County Workforce Innovation Board. She has a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota Morris. In addition to her current role with Ramsey County, Becker has also served as the executive director of the Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation and as project administrator for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council Transportation and Transit Development Office.
• Nikki Farago
  Farago currently serves as deputy commissioner of Agency Culture and Relations at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. She has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Georgia. Farago previously served as assistant commissioner and deputy assistant commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Children and Family Services Administration.
• Jonathan Sage-Martinson
  Sage-Martinson currently serves as the chief executive officer for the Amplio Economic Development Corporation as well as the president/chief executive officer of the Amplio Lending Corporation. He has a Master of Arts from the University of Minnesota School of Public Affairs as well as a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. Sage-Martinson also served as the director and executive director of Saint Paul Planning and Economic Development and the collaborative director of Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

The board will interview the four finalists on Tuesday, July 30. Interviews will begin at 9:00 a.m. and run throughout the day at the Ramsey County Courthouse in Saint Paul, MN.

The board is hiring a new county manager to succeed Ryan O’Connor who joined the Metropolitan Council in March 2024 as its regional administrator. Ramsey County Economic Growth and Community Investment Deputy County Manager Johanna Berg was appointed on Feb. 1 to serve as county manager in the interim while the board conducted a national search for a new county manager. Berg, a proud career public servant, has served Ramsey County since 2011 in numerous executive leadership roles.