TransitioN
Team

transition advisory committees

Six Transition Advisory Committees will be launched to solicit feedback from St. Louisans and offer robust ideas and recommendations for Mayor Spencer’s administration top priorities. Through this effort, we hope to capture diverse perspectives across St. Louis with representatives from business, civic, educational, legal, social justice, and community-based organizations.

  • 1. City Services

    Priority Area: High-Quality City Services

    Mission:     Build systems to deliver efficient, high-quality services to residents and businesses to enhance the quality of life and the ease of doing business in St. Louis.

    Examples include pothole repair, trash, pick-up, snow removal, and permitting processes.

  • 2. Neighborhood Transformation

    Priority Area: Economic Transformation

    Mission:     Foster vibrant neighborhoods that all residents can proudly call home with a focus on underserved communities.

  • 3. Commercial Transformation

    Priority Area: Economic Transformation

    Mission:     Advance St. Louis as a thriving hub for business, career opportunities, and innovation through large-scale economic transformation.

  • 4. Inclusive Economy

    Priority Area: Inclusive Growth

    Mission:     Drive inclusive prosperity through housing accessibility, comprehensive homelessness & public health solutions, and immigration-enabled workforce growth.

  • 5. Education Systems

    Priority Area: Inclusive Growth

    Mission:     Ensure every child has access to quality education and pathways to success and that no family needs to leave St. Louis for a quality education.

  • 6. Public Safety & Justice

    Priority Area: Public Safety & Justice

    Mission:     Build a safer and more just city for all.

Civic Leaders Serving* on these committees include:

  • Pastor Andre Alexander - President, Tabernacle Community Development Corporation

  • Patrick Brown - Chief of Staff, Office of the Chairman, President & CEO, Ameren Corporation

  • Kathy Connors - Executive Director, Gateway180; Chairperson, St. Louis City Continuum of Care

  • Anna Crosslin - Retired President & CEO, International Institute of St. Louis

  • Brad Dean - President & CEO, Explore St. Louis

  • Haliday Douglas - President & CEO, St. Louis Public Schools Foundation

  • Audrey Ellermann - President, Covenant Blu Grand Center Neighborhood Association; President, Brickline North CDC

  • Dara Eskridge - CEO, Invest STL

  • Bill Etling - Senior Vice President, Nestlé Purina PetCare North America

  • Bridget Flood - Executive Director, Incarnate Word Foundation

  • Dr. Alexander Garza, MD, MPH - Chief Community Health Officer, SSM Health

  • Leslie Gill - President & CEO, Rung for Women

  • Jessica Hicklin - Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Unlocked Labs

  • Lesley Hoffarth - President and Executive Director, Forest Park Forever

  • Peter Hoffman - Managing Attorney for Neighborhood Advocacy, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

  • Dr. Stacy Gee Hollins, Ph.D. - Associate Provost of Academic Affairs and Dean, Anheuser-Busch School of Business, Harris-Stowe State University

  • Robert Holmes - Chairman & CEO, Commerce Bank of St. Louis

  • Tim Huffman, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, St. Louis University; Founding Board Member, House Everyone STL

  • Laura Hughes - Founder & CEO, Fleur De Lis Development Corporation

  • Jake Hummel - President, Missouri AFL-CIO

  • Adella Jones - Chief of Staff, Office of the Chancellor, University of Missouri - St. Louis

  • Larry Middlebrook - Former St. Louis Ward 2 Democratic Committeeman

  • Jon-Pierre (JP) Mitchom - Director of Equity and Inclusion, Saint Louis Priory School

  • Julie Murphy - Managing Principal, JFM Strategies, LLC

  • Brian Phillips - Assistant Vice Chancellor, Washington University Medical Center; Investment Committee, Arch to Park

  • Jeff Pittman, Ph.D. - Chancellor, Saint Louis Community College

  • Don Pohl - President, Ranken Technical College

  • Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano - VP, Entrepreneurship, Cortex Innovation District

  • Dr. Will Ross, MD, MPH - Alumni Endowed Professor of Medicine and Principal Officer for Community Partnerships, Washington University School of Medicine

  • Jan Sandweiss - President, Laclede's Landing Neighborhood Association

  • Tamara Sheffield - SVP and Chief Financial Officer, Forest Park Forever

  • Steve Smith - Founder & CEO, New + Found

  • Jayvn Solomon - Founding Director and Creative Strategist, Lotus Labs & Loutopia

  • John Stiffler - Executive Secretary-Treasurer, St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council

  • Deanna Venker - Chief Operating Officer, St. Louis County

  • Dr. Cheryl Watkins, MBA - President & CEO, YWCA Metro St. Louis

  • Stephen Westbrooks - Executive Director of Southern Region, IFF

  • Aaron Williams - Senior Project Manager, Penn Services; Board Chairman, 4theVille

  • Hon. Michael Wolff - Former Judge and Chief Justice, Missouri Supreme Court; Professor and Dean Emeritus, Saint Louis University Law School

  • Paul Woodruff - Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, St. Louis Community Credit Union

*Committees were still in formation as of the time of this update (last updated April 11, 2025).

What do you Think?

Take a minute to share your ideas with the Transition Advisory Teams on how we can build a better St. Louis!