Roanoke has hired a new city manager. Valmarie Turner comes to the Star City from Fairfax, where she was the Deputy City manager. Turner worked in Florida for local governments before relocating to Fairfax in 2017. Turner will assume her new role in January; Bob Cowell resigned from the City Manager position in Roanoke earlier this year and had been replaced by an interim manager. She met with the media and the public this afternoon.
(Roanoke news release) The Roanoke City Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Valmarie H. Turner as its new City Manager. At its meeting on December 2nd, City Council unanimously approved an employment agreement with Ms. Turner and appointed her as City Manager. Ms. Turner brings over 30 years of local government experience to
the position with an extensive background in community and economic development, social and human services programs, finance and procurement, and public improvement projects. Most recently, she served as the Deputy City Manager for the
City of Fairfax, Virginia. Ms. Turner succeeds Bob Cowell, who resigned in June. Dr. Lydia Pettis Patton, an Executive Manager with the Berkley Group, has served as Interim City Manager during the transition. City Council Member and Personnel Committee Chair Trish White-Boyd said, “We are excited to welcome Val Turner to the City of Roanoke. Council was impressed by her demeanor and her experience with many issues facing the City such as economic development, affordable housing, and homelessness. She has an excellent reputation as a leader, a team builder, and someone who builds collaborative relationships with stakeholders in the community. We are certain that Val will be an asset to the Roanoke Valley and are looking forward to her assuming her duties.”
Roanoke City Council conducted a national search for the new City Manager, assisted by The Berkley Group of Bridgewater, Virginia. Turner earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Economics, with a minor
in Business, from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration, with a specialization in Public Policy, from Walden University. Turner held the position of Department Director for over a decade in multiple local governments across Florida before being appointed Assistant/Deputy County Administrator for Loudoun County, Virginia, in 2017.
