DENTON, TX, March 2, 2022 – In a unanimous vote, the Denton City Council named Interim City Manager Sara Hensley as Denton’s permanent City Manager on Tuesday, March 2. Hensley has served as the Interim City Manager since February 2021 when Todd Hileman left the position. She is the first woman to hold the highest administrative position in the Denton city government. In her time as interim, she led the City of Denton through its recovery from Winter Storm Uri and the Delta and Omicron phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hensley brings more than 25 years of public service and leadership experience to the position. She originally began in Denton as Assistant City Manager in May 2019 and oversaw multiple departments, including Parks and Recreation, Libraries, Public Affairs, Animal Services, and Community Services. In July 2020 she was promoted to Deputy City Manager where she oversaw additional departments such as Development Services, Public Works, and Facilities.
“I am honored to continue to serve the Denton community and our residents,” Hensley said. “I am most proud to lead and work with our outstanding employees.”
Hensley came to Denton from the City of Austin, where she was the Parks and Recreation Director and served as Interim Assistant City Manager for two years. She oversaw five departments: Austin Public Health, Austin Public Library, Austin Parks and Recreation, Austin Animal Services, and the Office of Real Estate. She led large-scale teams in multiple program and service areas and operations, served as the executive lead for several citywide cross-departmental efforts, and frequently interacted with elected officials, community stakeholders, and residents.
Hensley is a Certified Manager through International City/County Management Association (ICMA), holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education from the University of Arkansas, and is a graduate of the Executive Development Program at Indiana University. Before her roles with the City of Austin, Sara was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Phoenix, Arizona; Director of Neighborhood Services, Animal Services and Parks and Recreation for the City of San Jose, California; and the Director of Parks and Recreation for City of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Media Contact: Ryan Adams, (940) 349-8565, [email protected]
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