Cora Scott, longtime spokeswoman for St. John's Health System, has been selected as the city's director of public information and civic engagement. Her anticipated start date is Jan. 18.
Scott has worked in public relations roles with St. John's since 1993, most recently as media relations director. In her current role, she is responsible for media and public communication for St. John's parent Mercy's north central region, according to a news release.
“I am excited for the opportunity to communicate the city’s vision for the future, encourage community involvement, and hopefully, further open dialogue in ways that help make our great city even better,” Scott said in the release.
Scott, who will have an annual salary of $80,005, will be the first Springfield public information officer to also have responsibilities in civic engagement, which includes developing strategies and programs to facilitate citizen participation in local government and promoting civic issues within the community.
The department head position of director of public information and civic engagement has been vacant, frozen in the city's budget since May 2010, after Louise Knauer resigned from the post to join Community Foundation of the Ozarks, where she works as senior vice president of communications and marketing.
Following Knauer's exit, the
city named co-interim department heads Vince Crunk, production manager for the CityView television station, and Mike Brothers, who had worked with the department until Oct. 31, when he took the post of public information administrator with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.
Scott's salary is being funded via salary savings from Brothers' departure from the department and general fund monies, according to the release.[[In-content Ad]]
