Sonoma County Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo has been elected chair of the county’s Board of Supervisors for 2026, becoming the first Latina to lead the five-member board in the county’s 176-year history.
Hermosillo was chosen by her colleagues during the board’s annual reorganization on Tuesday.
“I recognize the significance of this moment,” she said in a statement released by the county. “I am here because my parents sacrificed, because so many friends and families worked twice as hard to get where they are for a better chance for themselves and their families.”
Hermosillo said 2026 will bring challenges to Sonoma County due to economic uncertainty and changing priorities at the state and federal levels.
“I am here because my parents sacrificed, because so many friends and families worked twice as hard to get where they are for a better chance for themselves and their families.”
Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo
“Fiscal responsibility will be essential,” Hermosillo said, emphasizing that the county must carefully manage limited public resources while also strengthening partnerships and ensuring residents feel heard and valued in county decisions.
Hermosillo was elected in 2024 to represent District 1, which includes east Santa Rosa and the Sonoma Valley. She served as vice chair in 2025 under then-chair Lynda Hopkins.
Supervisor Chris Coursey, meanwhile, was named vice chair, and Supervisor David Rabbitt was selected as chair pro tem.
Coursey, who represents District 3 covering much of Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park, was first elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024. He previously served as board chair in 2023.