Mayor Madeline Rogero today announced that Jesse Fox Mayshark, the City’s Senior Director of Communications and Government Relations, is leaving City government to return to journalism. Eric Vreeland, the current Deputy Director of Communications, will be promoted to fill Mayshark’s position.

Jesse Mayshark

Eric Vreeland

Mayshark’s last day with the City will be Friday, Aug. 10.

“Jesse has been an incredible asset to my administration. His strong commitment to transparency, deep command of issues and policy, and his professional and personal ethics have made him a valued and highly-respected colleague among City staff. I will miss him dearly, and wish him success in his new adventure,” Mayor Rogero said. “We are fortunate to have such a talented and knowledgeable successor in Eric. He has done an outstanding job as deputy director, and he will ensure continued high standards as he leads our communication efforts.”

Mayshark joined the City’s Communications team in December 2011, when Mayor Rogero took office. Prior to that, he worked for 20 years as a reporter and editor for publications including Metro Pulse, The New York Times, the Knoxville News Sentinel and No Depression. 

“I have been very fortunate to work for Mayor Rogero and alongside so many talented and committed professionals at the City of Knoxville, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunities I have had here,” Mayshark said. “It has given me a great appreciation for the complexities of government at all levels. At the same time, I have been disheartened by the continued erosion of the local media, which has created serious gaps in information about important issues. I hope to help fill some of those gaps, and I’ll have more to announce about that in a few weeks.”

Vreeland came to the work for the City in 2013 after 26 years as a reporter and editor at the Knoxville News Sentinel.

“I love that there’s so much energy and so many new ideas throughout Knoxville,” Vreeland said. “It’s exciting to help communicate Mayor Rogero’s vision and be a part of engaging with our residents and business owners on ways the City can partner with them and create new opportunities.”

The Communications Department runs the City of Knoxville’s website (knoxvilletn.gov) and works with the Mayor and all City departments to provide information about City services, projects and priorities.