The woman who ran the Santa Clarita Redevelopment Agency and filled in as city clerk when the state ended redevelopment has taken a job as community development director for the city of San Gabriel.

The position – which used to be called “planning director” – is a step up the bureaucratic ladder for Arminé Chaparyan, who came to Santa Clarita from Ontario in 2008 and most recently served as Santa Clarita’s housing and preservation manager, where she was responsible for housing, code enforcement and the “successor agency” to redevelopment.

She starts in San Gabriel on Dec. 17, according to a statement from San Gabriel City Manager Steve Preston.

“We’re thrilled to have Arminé join us,” Preston said. “She brings unique qualifications in community building and economic development strategy that will help define San Gabriel as the premier city of the San Gabriel Valley.”

As in Santa Clarita, the directorship of community development is a top-level staff position in San Gabriel, answering directly to the city manager. Like Santa Clarita, San Gabriel has a “city manager” form of government with a five-member council.

“I consider this opportunity a homecoming to the San Gabriel Valley,” Chaparyan said, having previously worked for the city of West Covina. She has a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a master’s in public administration from USC.

Santa Clarita’s new city clerk, on a permanent basis, is Kevin Tonoian.