Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 11-27-20

Local
City Hires Director Of Workforce Partnerships & Special Projects
Last Friday, Mayor Jane Castor hired Ms. Brenda “Bren” McKenzie as Di- rector of Workforce Partner- ships and Special Projects.
In addition to implement- ing special projects directed by the Administration, she will provide essential support of Mayor Jane Castor’s Transforming Tampa’s To- morrow initiative to address the City’s labor shortage, fos- ter a healthy workforce and remove barriers to access.
Mayor Castor said, “It is critically important that we cultivate a strong, talented workforce here in Tampa across all industries. By uti- lizing Bren’s extensive ex- pertise and the Workforce Development Advisory Team recommendations we can
BRENDA McKENZIE Director of Workforce Partnerships And Special Projects
maximize our resources to make a tangible impact on
our workforce ecosystem by touching every corner of the City.”
Ms. McKenzie brings over 20 years of experience focused on building inclusive and innovative residential and business communities using strategies that have re- sulted in over $20 billion of impactful and sustainable growth. While holding exec- utive leadership positions as a Chief Business Strategist, President and CEO, and Eco- nomic Development Director with several major cities within the United States, she has been successful in devel- oping and maintaining pub- lic-private partnerships in economic and workforce de- velopment.
Ms. McKenzie said, “I
am thrilled to join the City of Tampa and Mayor Jane Castor in Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow. This will truly be a collaborative effort - working with busi- nesses, stakeholders and res- idents to foster a strong resilient workforce both for today and for the future.”
Ms. McKenzie’s 25-year career reflects her passion for melding her public & pri- vate sector experience to cre- ate vibrant environments and communities.
As a planner, public ad- ministrator, economic devel- opment practitioner, entrepreneur and public af- fairs professional, she has implemented creative strate- gies that have leveraged more than $20 billion in pri-
vate investment during her career.
She serves on the national board of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, founded by renowned Har- vard Business School Profes- sor, Michael Porter, that promotes innovative strate- gies for job creation in cities. Ms. McKenzie earned a Master of Public Administra- tion degree from the Univer- sity of Illinois (Chicago) College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs and is a Chicago Community Trust Fellow.
The position is within the Neighborhood and Commu- nity Affairs Administration under Ocea Wynn. The salary range is $89,211.20 to $139,817.60.
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