Kirsten Yates was recently appointed Senior Advisor for Communications and Digital Strategy for the City of Chattanooga, as announced by Mayor Tim Kelly last week. She works with Mayor Kelly, the Chief of Staff and other members of the mayor’s senior leadership team to progress Chattanooga forward and ensure communities remain involved in the resolution of local issues. She will manage the Mayor’s Office of Communications, championing efforts to provide and educate communities through communicating effective information on current events.
“I am honored to join such a dynamic, talented team to help advance Mayor Kelly’s vision for One Chattanooga. Through new and innovative communication strategies, we will ensure Chattanoogans are informed and engaged as we work together to create a city where every resident has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.”
Kirsten Yates, Senior Advisor for Communications and Digital Strategy, City of Chattanooga
Yates holds over 12 years’ experience in different communication leadership roles in government programs, social marketing campaigns and crisis and emergency responses. She worked over eight years with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leading communication efforts for programs like the COVID-19 vaccine distribution initiative and vaccine effectiveness research. Yates served as deputy lead of the CDC’s infection control education and partnership collaborative before accepting her new position with Mayor Kelly’s team.
Yates earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in public health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Her experience and education built a firm foundation to lead local government communication efforts to achieve the city’s goals.
She will help champion Mayor Kelly’s One Chattanooga strategic plan, alongside his administration, to create a better Chattanooga – addressing minor and major issues from maintaining aesthetic integrity of the city to challenging generational inequalities in Chattanooga. Yates’ role will be to maintain effective communication with Chattanooga residents, ensuring they remain informed and involved in the progress of the Kelly administration’s plans.
Yates joins Mayor Kelly in creating a welcoming environment that encourages inclusion and prosperity for all of Chattanooga’s residents.
Read the press release, here.
