Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly announced on Thursday that he has made several director-level and senior staff position changes in the city government.
Derek Anderson, DrPH, MPH has been named the new director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Health. Mr. Anderson comes from San Antonio, where he has served as program director of the Bexar County Community Health Collaborative since July 2022. He holds a Doctor of Public Health from UTHealth Houston and a Master of Public Health from the University of Toledo.
He will start work with the city in July.
Chief Operating Officer Ryan Ewalt has been named Chattanooga’s new Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. In his new role,Mr. Ewalt will play a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of the City of Chattanooga, driving strategic initiatives and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. One of the seven goals of Mayor Kelly’s One Chattanooga plan is to provide responsive and effective local government, and prioritizing innovation is a key priority in the work to achieve that goal.
Mande Green will serve as interim Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Green has served as Chief Human Resources Officer for the city since December 2021. She joined Chattanooga after holding several leadership positions for the government of Clark County, Wa.
Debbie Talley has been named Chief Purchasing Officer. A Chattanooga native and longtime city employee, Ms. Talley has held several leadership roles at purchasing.