Jeff Welch Appointed Executive Director

Jeff Welch has been named Planning’s executive director by Knoxville City Mayor Indya Kincannon and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.

Jeff will be a familiar face to customers, partners, and the community in this new role after serving as the director of the Knoxville-Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) since 1985. The TPO is staffed by planners within Knoxville-Knox County Planning and coordinates a comprehensive transportation planning process for several cities and counties in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. During his time in this role, he has overseen the preparation of several regional mobility plans and regional transit studies, participated in countless corridor and small area studies, and played an integral role in the three-year Plan East Tennessee process.

Jeff began his career in public service in Dubuque, IA, followed by Sioux Falls, SD, and then Knoxville. During his 37-year tenure with Knoxville-Knox County Planning, he has worked in a variety of capacities while maintaining the title of TPO director. He is a long-time member of the management team and has served as deputy director and interim director of the agency.

Jeff holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science-Engineering from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Science in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and a graduate of Leadership Knoxville and East Tennessee Regional Leadership.

This announcement came as Amy Brooks, Planning’s previous executive director, began a new role as chief housing officer for the City of Knoxville.