JACKSON, Tenn. – Christiana Gallagher is joining Mayor Scott Conger’s office as the city’s Financial Empowerment Director and will join a cohort with four peers from cities across the country who are similarly leading their own cities’ Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE). The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE), a national non-profit, will support the cohort of local leaders as part of this new two-year Financial Empowerment Fellowship training program.

“Improving the financial resilience of residents through financial empowerment is an essential component of one’s well-being,” said Mayor Scott Conger. “I believe that Christiana is well-equipped for this role due to her background in finance.”

In this grant-funded position, Gallagher will work with leaders within the City and CFE Fund staff to launch and lead a newly established local OFE, both managing existing and launching new financial empowerment programs and initiatives. She will also serve as the local government’s internal financial empowerment consultant, bring a financial stability lens to a range of related issues, and leverage their leadership role to ensure financial empowerment is central to local anti-poverty efforts.

"I am excited to use my knowledge and experience in finances to help serve the people of Jackson,” said Gallagher. “I'm grateful to Mayor Conger for having the vision to implement this program and entrusting me as its director."

Gallagher is active within the Jackson community through volunteer work, local support, and community organizing. She serves on the board for Jackson-Madison County African American Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Equity Project. Gallagher’s professional experience includes banking, management, financial counseling and human resources.