Mayor John Cooper on Monday announced the addition of five new staff members.
Jessica Davis, formerly at the Tennessee Business Roundtable, is Cooper’s new deputy press secretary. Linda Harper is the mayor’s new strategic community engagement liaison, working with Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood. Tiara Thomas is the new outreach liaison working with neighborhoods and community engagement director Kathy Floyd-Buggs. Breanna Tillman has been named community impact manager, working with community safety coordinator Ron Johnson. Karin Fielder Weaver is the new associate director of housing and human services, working with new economic growth and small business development director LaTanya Channel.
“I’m thrilled to welcome these five outstanding professionals to our office — all of whom are already doing great work on behalf of Nashville residents,” Cooper says in a release. “Our new staff brings more than 50 years of public service experience to Metro, and adds a range of exceptional talent and diverse experiences to advance our agenda forward, particularly in the housing, workforce development and community safety space. Each will play an important role making Nashville a welcoming place for everyone.”
The announcement follows last month's news that LaTanya Channel is joining the mayor's staff as its new director of economic growth and small business development. The position was last held by Courtney Pogue under the title director of economic and community development. Pogue left the position this summer after roughly a year in office, having previously expressed to the Scene his frustration about a lack of direction in Metro government.
