Karen Huang was named as the new finance director for the city of San Mateo and will lead the department responsible for a $239 million annual operating budget and five-year $284 million Capital Improvement Program.

Huang has 18 years of finance experience, including 11 years working for local cities. She was hired as San Mateo’s deputy director of Finance in January 2022 before being named interim Finance director in August 2023. During her time with San Mateo, she has helped manage the city’s low-interest federal loans for the Clean Water Program and overseen the annual budget development. She was appointed by City Manager Alex Khojikian.