Meet Shanelle 

Shanelle Scales-Preston was elected to the Pittsburg City Council in 2018 and served as Mayor 2023.  Her priorities have been to strengthen youth programs and improve city services to create a strong and vibrant community.

Pittsburg is Shanelle’s home and has shaped who she is today.  Her father owned a small business and was a member of UA 342 and her mother worked at the local glass factory.  She understands the day-to-day struggles we all face.  Shanelle’s strong ties to the community are built from her relationships with neighbors, her church and the organizations she volunteers for, including the Gateway Rotary Club and the Pittsburg Reads initiative.

Shanelle has extensive regional experience.  She is Chair of the Board for MCE, the local electricity provider, is Chair of TransPlan which coordinates regional transportation projects and transit services in East County and is President of the League of California Cities East Bay Division.   

 Our community’s strength lies in its diversity and Shanelle has worked to ensure every voice is heard and valued.  Her community service started in the federal government more than twenty years ago where she learned to effectively advocate for residents and local governments navigating difficult bureaucracies and fix problems.  Shanelle has worked in communities across Contra Costa County her entire career and has built lasting relationships with residents here.

 Shanelle earned her degree from California State University East Bay.  She and her husband are raising their two sons in Pittsburg.