Kristina Swallow

The City of Tucson has announced the appointment of Kristina Swallow as the new assistant city manager. With more than three decades of experience in engineering and management across various sectors, Swallow brings invaluable expertise and a well-rounded perspective to this position in the City Manager’s Office.

In her new role as assistant city manager, Swallow will oversee a variety of key departments and programs that are essential to the growth and development of Tucson. These include Parks and Recreation, Planning and Development Services, Environmental and General Services, Transportation and Mobility, Climate Action, the Tucson Development Center, and Economic Initiatives.

Most recently, Swallow served as the director of the City of Tucson’s Planning and Development Services Department, where she made significant strides in enhancing the customer experience, increasing transparency, and fostering sustainable growth. During her tenure, Swallow led numerous initiatives, including:

• Permit Dashboard: Launched in October 2023, this interactive tool provides clear insights into the permitting process, including review times and average times from application to permit issuance for various permit types. This initiative has increased transparency and provided valuable data to the public.
• Permit Review Lanes: In August 2023, PDSD introduced permit review lanes to enhance the permit review process, resulting in faster review times for specific permit types. PDSD adjusted target review times according to the scale of the project, streamlining the turnaround time for smaller projects.  
• Casita Model Plan Design Competition and Library: PDSD hosted the Casita Model Plan Design Competition to foster innovation in casita design and provide a platform for emerging architects and designers. The selected designs became the basis for the Casita Model Plan Library. These pre-approved plans offer streamlined and creative solutions to affordable and accessible housing.  
• Removing Barriers to Development Along Commercial Corridors: In line with Mayor and Council direction, Swallow is leading efforts to enable development and redevelopment of underutilized sites along major commercial corridors. This initiative aims to transform vacant lots, abandoned strip malls, and large parking lots to make redevelopment easier, address housing affordability and promote transit-oriented development.

Before joining PDSD, Swallow served as the director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, where she managed an annual budget of $1 billion and led a team of 1,800 employees in the planning, construction, maintenance, and operations of the state highway system.

Taking the PDSD director role, marked a return home for Swallow who still has family in the area. Swallow holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Nevada. Her comprehensive understanding of both the public and private sectors positions her to make significant contributions to the City of Tucson.

“Joining the City Manager’s Office is an exciting opportunity to work with an incredible team and continue my commitment to Tucson, my hometown,” Swallow said. “I’m eager to leverage my experience to work with other public works departments while continuing to build upon success at PDSD. “

City Manager Tim Thomure expressed his confidence in Swallow’s ability to drive progress within the city’s leadership team. 

“Kristina Swallow is a terrific addition to the City Manager’s Office,” Thomure said. “Her proven track record, combined with her passion for the community, will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success of our organization.”

Swallow rounds out the staff alongside Assistant City Manager and CFO Anna Rosenberry and Assistant Manager Elizabeth Morales.