Chattanooga’s New Permanent City COO Announced
Chattanooga, TN – On Friday, Mayor Tim Kelly declared that Mande Green will be the new permanent Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Chattanooga’s city government. Ms. Green initially joined the City’s leadership as Chief Human Resources Officer back in December 2021 after several roles in Clark County, WA. She has been serving as the interim COO since June 2024.
“Mande has been excellent in the COO role since she came on as interim in June, and it’s great news for Chattanooga that she’ll be staying in the role long term,” stated Mayor Kelly. “Under her leadership, we’ve already seen increased urgency in delivering city services and making improvements to key city infrastructure. And I know the best is yet to come now that she’s taking the job on a permanent basis.”
Ms. Green expressed her gratitude, “I want to thank Mayor Kelly and the more than 2,000 employees of city government for trusting me with this responsibility.” She added, “I believe in the mayor’s vision for One Chattanooga, and I’m committed to doing my part to see it implemented. In particular as COO, I’ll work to make more progress toward providing responsive and effective local government, which is the foundation of everything else we do.”
UTC Research Institute’s New Hire
Mayor Kelly also congratulated the UTC Research Institute on hiring Chattanooga’s Deputy COO, Julia Bursch, as its new COO. “While we’re sad to be losing Julia at City Hall, this is a well-deserved step up for her and she’ll continue to help move our city forward in her new role,” said Mayor Kelly. “UTC’s success is Chattanooga’s success,” he noted. “This brilliant hire by Dr. Mina Sartipi at the Research Institute gives me confidence that UTC is on its way to fulfilling its potential as a top-tier research university.”
Ms. Bursch began with Mayor Kelly as deputy chief of staff in April 2021, before being named Deputy COO in November 2021 when Mayor Kelly reorganized his senior staff. Her last day with city government will be September 5. Reflecting on her transition, Ms. Bursch commented, “While I am thrilled to be returning to my alma mater, it’s hard to leave Mayor Kelly, Mande, and the entire team at city government at a time when we’re seeing years of hard work pay off,” she shared. “But in my role at the city, I’ve seen how vital UTC’s success is to Chattanooga’s success. The Research Institute is doing innovative work to cement Chattanooga as a leader in quantum and mobility technologies. I leave city government filled with pride for everything we’ve been able to accomplish as a team, and I look forward to working with Mayor Kelly’s administration as a supportive community partner.”
About the UTC Research Institute
According to UTC, the Research Institute was established to advance R&D and experiential learning profiles in key cross-disciplinary areas like transportation and quantum. The Institute enhances the University’s focus on building cross-disciplinary teams and catalyzing partnerships to establish enduring programs of excellence. These programs aim to address R&D areas that cannot be solved by a single-discipline approach.
Conclusion
The announcements brought a wave of excitement in Chattanooga, showcasing the city’s continuous efforts to strengthen its leadership and innovative capabilities. As Mande Green settles into her role as permanent COO and Julia Bursch moves to the UTC Research Institute, community members are optimistic about the future potential and progress in these new phases of leadership.
