Mr. Christopher P. Morrill

(KNLP-16)
City Manager
Roanoke, Virginia
United States

Focus Areas

Community & Civic Engagement
Public Sector / Government
Economic Security
Community Development
Leadership
Finance / Fundraising / Administration

Biography

Chris Morrill was appointed City Manager of the City of Roanoke, March 1, 2010. Previously, he served nine years as Assistant City Manager of the City of Savannah, GA. From 1999 through 2001, he worked for Research Triangle Institute as Senior Municipal Finance Advisor to the South African National Treasury under a U.S.AID funded project. In this position, he assisted the South African government in developing local government finance legislation, municipal budget reforms, and capacity building programs. Through 1990-1992 and 1994-1999, Chris served as Research & Budget Director for the City of Savannah, GA. During the intervening 1992- 1994, he served in the first group of U.S. Peace Corps volunteers in the former Soviet Union, where he advised the City of Lviv, Ukraine on finance & management issues. He has written numerous articles for Government Finance Review and co-authored The Savannah Story: The Road to Equity and Sustainable Community Development in Economic Development in American Cities: the Pursuit of an Equity Agenda. Chris completed a three-year fellowship in the Kellogg National Leadership Program, exploring conflict resolution/ community building in Peru, China, Northern Ireland, Spain and South Africa. Morrill is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and is currently President of the Government Finance Officers Association of the US and Canada (GFOA). In 2011 he was chosen "Campaign Leader of the Year" by the United Way of the Roanoke Valley. He received the 2012 "Gold Star Award" from the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Morrill received a B.A. degree in political science from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, and a master of public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He lives in Roanoke with his wife and two sons where he enjoys cycling the greenways, hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains, and exploring the historic downtown.