By Mollie Lair
Deputy Dir. of Communications
City of Cincinnati
Mayor Aftab Pureval announced on Aug. 26 his recommendation of Sheryl Long as the next Cincinnati City Manager. Long has been Assistant City Manager since April 2019, overseeing departments including transportation, utilities, and the Emergency Communications Center, among others.
“I am confident in Sheryl Long’s ability to lead our City with tenacity, transparency, compassion and sound judgement,” Pureval said. “She has a proven track record of outstanding managerial and interpersonal skills, working in public service for more than a decade and successfully overseeing thousands of City employees in her role as Assistant City Manager. She is a leader who I know will further our goals of making Cincinnati a vibrant, equitable place for all to grow and thrive.”
He continued, “I want to thank John Curp for his hard, commendable work as Interim City Manager for the past 8 months. He came in with a vision for a more communicative, transparent government, and he succeeded in carrying out that tremendously important objective. I will always be grateful for his work and desire to make a difference in our community.”
“I am honored and excited to have been chosen by Mayor Aftab Pureval as the next City Manager of the City of Cincinnati, Long said. “Not many people have the opportunity to serve our community in this direct and impactful way, and I don’t take this responsibility lightly. My number one focus is to make our local government accessible to all Cincinnatians, regardless of their neighborhood, circumstances, or walk of life. I want to acknowledge and thank Interim City Manager, John Curp, for his professionalism and service to the City of Cincinnati. I’m excited to work with John to make sure this is a smooth and collaborative transition. I look forward to working with and lifting up our talented and committed staff, who ultimately are responsible for our success as a City.”
A vote on Long’s appointment will take place during a special session held by City Council on Thursday, September 1, 2022.
Long has been serving as Assistant City Manager for the City of Cincinnati since April 7, 2019. In this role she helps manage various City operations, utilities and regulatory departments. Her primary responsibilities include interfacing with the Departments of Public Services, Citizen Complaint Authority, Emergency Communications Center, Office of Environment and Sustainability, Transportation & Engineering, as well as the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, and Greater Cincinnati Water Works. She also acts as the liaison to the Cincinnati Health Department.
Long previously served as the City Administrator for the City of North College Hill for more than three years. She led North College Hill’s city communications prior to being promoted to City Administrator.
In addition to her public service experiences, she has a decade of marketing experience in the private sector (2003-2013).
Assistant City Manager Long earned a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University and a Master of Arts in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University.
