Kerry Hayes Named Berke Chief Of Staff; Stacy Richardson Goes To Washington

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke has appointed Kerry Hayes as his new chief of staff. He will replace Stacy Richardson, who has served as the mayor’s chief of staff since November 2015. Mr. Hayes had served as the deputy chief of staff since December 2017.

“Kerry’s experience in the public and private sectors have brought tremendous value to my senior leadership team since he joined the administration,” Mayor Berke said.

“I look forward to his counsel as we work to continue our progress.”

Previously, Mr. Hayes was a special assistant to Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton, Jr. after serving as the communications director for Mayor Wharton’s 2009 campaign. He later founded Key Public Strategies, a public policy and communications consulting firm.  

Ms. Richardson has accepted a role as director of Urban Innovation with the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C. Prior to being named chief of staff, she was the chief policy officer for Mayor Berke, campaign manager for the 2013 Berke campaign, and served as a research fellow at the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies. 

“Stacy’s positive impact on our city over the last seven years cannot be measured,” Mayor Berke added. “Her thoroughness, thoughtfulness, and heart for this community will be missed, but I’m excited to see her continue some of this work at the next level with the National League of Cities.”