Three new deputies will join Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s administration in the areas of community development, human resources and public health, his office announced in a news release Friday.
Don Walker is joining the city as deputy administrator for community development. Daniel Harrigan will serve as the new deputy chief human resources officer. Geeta Maharaj will serve as the new deputy director of the office of community health. Walker’s salary will be $96,269, Harrigan’s $98,000 and Maharaj’s $101,500.
Contributed photo / Don Walker is joining the City of Chattanooga as Deputy Administrator for Community Development.“It takes a talented, diverse team working across departments to truly create lasting change, which is why I’m thrilled to have Don, Daniel and Geeta on board,” Kelly said in the release. “From years of service in local government and community institutions to on-the-ground work improving the health of some of our most vulnerable communities, this trio brings the breadth and depth of experience that will help ensure we get big things done for our residents.”
Two of the positions are replacements. Walker will replace the former deputy for community development, Erskine Oglesby, who resigned after being charged with theft from two supermarkets. The deputy in the office of community health is new.
Walker comes to Chattanooga with more than 30 years of experience in managing complex program operations and solving customer service challenges, the release said. He spent 25 years as the director of guest services and operations for the Tennessee Aquarium, where he implemented multiple companywide programs and processes to improve operations and guest satisfaction, including the development of a companywide customer service and training program that led to sustained increases in customer satisfaction ratings.
Contributed photo / Daniel Harrigan is joining the City of Chattanooga as the new Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer.Harrigan brings more than 13 years of experience in human resources, 12 of which were spent working for Clark County in Washington state. Most recently, he served Clark County as a senior human resources representative, advising approximately 400 employees in 11 internal departments on policy and contract interpretation, labor relations, recruitment and compensation, and performance management.
Maharaj will work under Mary Lambert, director of the office of community health, to lead community health programs designed to address long-standing health disparities in Chattanooga. Maharaj will also provide leadership support to the Family Justice Center and the city’s safety and gun violence prevention program, both of which fall under the office of community health.
Contributed photo / Dr. Geeta Maharaj is joining the City of Chattanooga as the new Deputy Director of the Office of Community Health and Safety.Maharaj has more than 30 years of experience in health care, including advanced nursing practice, public health, education and research, with an emphasis on serving vulnerable populations.
She received her bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and holds a master’s degree in advanced practice from the University of California, as well as a doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Utah.
— Compiled by David Floyd