HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.23.15_Roos_Departure_AnnouncedCITY OF SOUTH BEND
PETE BUTTIGIEG, MAYOR
Office of the Mayor
CONTACT:
Kara Kelly, (574) 235 -5853
kkelly @southbendin.gov
FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, June 23, 2015
MAYOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF KATHRYN ROOS DEPARTS TO ATTEND GRADUTE SCHOOL
Kathryn Roos, Mayor Pete Buttigieg's Chief of Staff, will leave the City of South Bend later this
month to pursue a master's degree at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
University. Mayor Buttigieg will announce her successor later this week.
Roos has served as Mayor Buttigieg's chief of staff for over two years.
"It has been a tremendous privilege and honor to work for Mayor Pete and the people of South
Bend," Roos says. "I hope I have had a positive impact and helped move South Bend forward.
South Bend will always be home and I look forward to following and seeing the continued
success of this wonderful community."
Mayor Buttigieg commends Roos for her leadership, hard work, and friendship.
"Kathryn Roos has brought a truly exceptional mix of talent, insight, and work ethic to my
administration," says Buttigieg. "South Bend is better off thanks to her tireless and dedicated
service, and so am I. Kathryn leaves behind a record of great impact as she moves forward in her
education and career."
A leading member of the mayor's senior team since he took office, Roos played a key role in
managing many of the administration's most important efforts, including the Vacant and
Abandoned Properties initiative, the Smart Streets program, and a successful partnership with
Code for America.
Most recently, she guided the mayor's winning primary re- election strategy, and was central in
planning and coordinating South Bend's 150th anniversary celebrations earlier this year.
She has served on a number of boards and commissions including the Board of Public Works,
Susan G. Komen Northern Indiana, Downtown South Bend, and the Northeast Neighborhood
Revitalization Organization.
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Roos was also an important link in the enhanced relationship between the city and the University
of Notre Dame.
"Kathryn and I interacted on a regular basis, staying engaged on current projects and initiatives
involving the community and the university," says Timothy Sexton, associate vice president for
public affairs at the University of Notre Dame. "At all times, she exhibited great professionalism
and collaboration."
Roos also led the mayor's office with Deputy Mayor Mark Neal while Mayor Buttigieg was
deployed to Afghanistan for seven months in 2014.
"Kathryn played a key role in moving the city forward during Mayor Pete's deployment and I
was thrilled to be part of the City team with her," says Neal, now chief operating officer at
Bradley Company. "She demonstrated great courage and conviction in managing the many
challenges of leadership in government."
Before serving as chief of staff, Roos served as the mayor's deputy chief of staff from his
inauguration until June 2013. Before 2012, Roos was the finance director on Mayor Buttigieg's
successful 2011 mayoral campaign.
Roos is a 2007 graduate of the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture and a South
Bend native. After graduating from Notre Dame, she worked with the architecture firm
Porphyrios Associates in London before returning to South Bend.