Maura Sullivan is the chief operating officer of Chattanooga's city government, effective at the beginning of 2016.Maura Sullivan will serve as the new chief operating officer of Chattanooga's city government starting in 2016.
Sullivan is a native of Memphis. After attending law school in the city, she worked for Congressman Harold Ford, and served in administrative positions with the Memphis city government and 47,000-student Shelby County school system before assuming leadership of the housing authority. She also served as a mediator in juvenile court. All told, she has spent more than 20 years in government and community service, according to a news release.
She currently serves as the interim executive director at the Memphis Housing Authority, which she took over this fall after the agency's former director was suspended without pay when allegations surfaced of improper sexual conduct with a young boy, according to local reports.
In a news release, Sullivan called Chattanooga "an inspiration" to other cities across the state the country.
"I am honored to join Mayor Berke's team and aid in his work to move Chattanooga forward," said Sullivan. "I look forward to being a part of the incredible things that are happening in this community."
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke praised Sullivan's experience managing an organization of more than 6,000 employees, as well as her record of public service.
"Not only does Maura have decades of experience in municipal government, she has a passion for service," Berke said.
Since Berke took office in April 2013, there has been major turnover among his top administrators.
Berke has appointed three chief operating officers, whose main job is to create the city budget, but each resigned to take a job in the private sector. After Brent Goldberg resigned in September, the mayor appointed Goldberg's deputy David Carmody as the interim.