City of Janesville Appoints Rebecca Houseman, ICMA-CM, MPA, to Serve as City Manager

Janesville, Wis. (September 14, 2026): The City of Janesville is pleased to announce the unanimous appointment of Rebecca Houseman, ICMA-CM, MPA, as City Manager. Houseman will begin her service with the City on Monday, November 2, 2026.

Houseman brings more than 20 years of local government experience, with expertise in municipal administration, financial management, economic and community development, human resources, strategic planning, and public engagement. She currently serves as City Manager for the City of Fort Atkinson, a position she has held since 2021.

As Fort Atkinson City Manager, Houseman has led major community and organizational initiatives, including the Ridge View Estates housing development, a new classification and compensation system, construction of a Public Works and Parks Operations Facility, and a successful public safety referendum that funded additional police officers and a transition to a full-time fire department. She also negotiated long-term Fire and EMS service agreements with surrounding municipalities and strengthened the City’s financial position through long-term planning and fiscal management.

A Janesville native, Houseman began her local government career as an undergraduate administrative intern with the City of Janesville. She later served the City of Beloit as Community Planner and City Clerk and the Village of Darien as Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer before becoming City Manager of Fort Atkinson.

“It is truly an honor to return to Janesville and serve the community where my career in local government began,” said Houseman. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the City Council, employees, residents, businesses, and community partners. I look forward to building relationships and working together to continue moving Janesville forward.”

Houseman holds a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in Urban Management from Northern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. She is an International City/County Management Association Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) and Wisconsin Certified Public Manager. She also serves as Second Vice President of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

“We are excited to welcome Rebecca to the City of Janesville,” said City Council President Larry Squire. “Rebecca brings an impressive combination of experience, leadership, and a genuine connection to Janesville. The City Council looks forward to working with her as we build on Janesville’s positive momentum and opportunities for the future.”

The City conducted a comprehensive recruitment process that included input from residents, businesses, community stakeholders, employees, and elected officials. Communication and transparency, visible and engaged leadership, strategic vision and fiscal stewardship, economic development, relationship building, integrity, accountability, and trust emerged as key priorities for Janesville’s next City Manager.

The executive recruitment process was facilitated by Innovative Public Advisors (IPA), a public sector executive recruitment and strategy firm. For more information, contact IPA Partner and Interim City Manager Jay Shambeau at 262-355-6102 or jay@public-advisors.com.