By: City of Davis
The City of Davis announced today that City Manager Mike Webb has named Katie Yancey to the role of Economic Development Director effective April 8, 2024.
The Economic Development Director is responsible for planning, organizing, managing and providing administrative direction and oversight to the economic development objectives, programs and activities for the City. This position includes attracting, engaging and retaining businesses while working to achieve a balance among City departments, other government agencies, development and real estate communities, local stakeholders and the community at large to build economic diversity, jobs and revenue growth consistent with the City’s goals and community values.
“Katie possesses keen business acumen and strong leadership skills,” said City Manager Mike Webb. “She is strategic, driven, team-oriented and very resourceful and will bring big-picture perspective and creative thinking to help transform and revitalize the City’s economic development department. She has extensive experience in employing municipal financial tools to achieve desired investments and to help businesses succeed. One of the first key endeavors of the Economic Development Director will be to work with the community and City Council to create an economic development strategic plan to guide our efforts in Davis with a clear vision.”
Yancey most recently worked as the Community Investment Manager at the City of West Sacramento, where she was responsible for real estate acquisitions and dispositions for the riverfront areas and the Central Business District. Most notably, she undertook the Bridge District’s public plaza acquisition, the River One Hotel and Condominiums Land Exchange and the Roadway Inn acquisition for Project Homekey. She worked collaboratively with City departments to encourage innovation and new ideas while helping to increase the agency’s revenue, attract new investments and enhance West Sacramento neighborhoods. In total, Yancey has more than 18 years of experience with the City of West Sacramento in its Redevelopment and Economic Development and Housing Departments. Yancey is very familiar with federal, state and local laws relevant to municipal economic development, including land use planning, redevelopment and policy implementation.
Yancey also has extensive experience with sustainability. She worked for the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Office for seven years and co-authored their 2010 “User’s Guide for the California Impervious Surface Coefficients.” With this experience, Yancey supported and managed water quality, groundwater recharge and riparian ecosystem enhancement co-benefits on a wide variety of projects with the City of West Sacramento. She continually worked to address and emphasize sustainability and carbon neutrality, including staffing the Sacramento/West Sacramento Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change, working with the Local Government Commission and assisting with the City of West Sacramento’s Climate Action Plan.
The combination of having both the Economic Development and Sustainability functions housed in the City Manager’s Office presents an ideal opportunity for co-benefits and collaboration of these key City of Davis functions. To maximize this collaboration, the Sustainability program and Sustainability Program Manager will have a direct line of reporting to Yancey. Bridging economic growth and environmental protection will help to preserve resources and better integrate sustainable practices into local development.
“I am thrilled to be joining the City of Davis as its Director of Economic Development,” said Yancey. “The community’s commitment to civic engagement demonstrates its yearning to build something together that matters. I look forward to finding my place in this existing tapestry of economic relationships that enhances the quality of life for the community’s residents, students, businesses and visitors through sustainable economic development processes.”
Yancey earned her bachelor’s degree in human geography and a Pre-Planning Certificate from California State University, Sacramento. In addition, she holds two associate degrees in geographic information systems and social sciences from American River College.
