Last week, the City of Asheville announced that Rafael Baptista will serve as the next Assistant Manager, effective on November 30th, 2026.
“Rafael brings a strong understanding of our community and a proven ability to connect strategic vision with organizational performance and results,” said City Manager DK Wesley. “His expertise in long-term planning and organizational improvement, coupled with his ability to work effectively with elected and appointed officials and lead enterprise-wide and multi-jurisdictional initiatives, will be a tremendous asset to our City. I am excited to welcome him to our team as we continue building organizational capacity, supporting our employees and advancing the City’s long-term priorities.”
Baptista previously served as Buncombe County as the Director of Strategy & Innovation. In this role he worked to develop the County’s 2030 Strategic Plan.
“Asheville is a place I’m proud to call home, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to a community that means so much to me,” said Baptista. “I’m looking forward to getting to know my new colleagues, learning from the people we serve, and working together to make a meaningful difference in our community.”
Before joining Buncombe County, Baptista served in management roles with the City of Raleigh and Durham County. He holds a Master in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
