Louisville, Ky. – Mayor Greg Fischer named longtime city government veteran Yvette Gentry as the city’s Chief of Community Building, overseeing city departments ranging from Public Health and Wellness to Metro Parks to Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.
Fischer said Gentry, with decades of experience in law enforcement and community involvement, is the perfect choice to oversee the strategic direction for agencies that touch the lives of all citizens. The departments under the direction of the Community Building cabinet are agencies that impact citizens and the community in a significant way – it includes the parks and green spaces, the zoo, health services and the important work of building safer neighborhoods, with a particular focus on young men of color to ensure they have opportunities.
“Yvette is a compassionate leader who cares about her family and her community. Her entire career has been building toward this important role for the city,” Fischer said.
Gentry is currently director of Youth Detention and Prevention Services and she will remain in that role, in addition to serving as Chief of Community Building. Endora Davis, currently at Metro Corrections, will oversee the day-to-day operations of Youth Detention Services, working under Gentry’s direction.
Gentry retired last year as Deputy Chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department after 24 years in policing, investigations, strategic planning, budgeting and patrol. Fischer named her in March to lead youth detention while also focusing on curbing the need to incarcerate youth. Gentry’s community involvement includes working with non-profits ranging from Kentucky Harvest and Meals on Wheels, to Kosair Children’s Hospital and being a youth leader at Greater St. Mark Baptist Church.
Mayor Fischer operates city government through a system of chiefs, each with various departments/initiatives under their direction. The departments reporting to Gentry are Community Services, Youth Detention Services, Louisville Zoo, Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, Metro Parks, Health and Wellness, Human Relations Commission.
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