Mayor Spencer Announces New Directors of Personnel and Communications

Today, Mayor Cara Spencer announced two key appointments to her cabinet and staff, naming Brian Light as director of personnel and Holly Roberts as director of communications.

Brian Light returns home to St. Louis after more than 24 years of public service in the Pacific Northwest, with a career rooted in leadership, organizational development and human resources. He began his career with the State of Oregon as a training and development specialist, where he developed a strong foundation in workforce learning and performance. His professional path led him into human resources, where he has spent the past decade in increasingly senior roles supporting employees, managers and organizational leaders, including a five-year stint as human resources director for the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. He most recently served as interim human resources administrator for the Oregon Youth Authority.

Light holds a master's degree in leadership and policy analysis and a bachelor's degree in communication, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has served as a board member for the Luke Center for Catalytic Leadership and for Sprague Little League, where he has coached 14-16-year-old players for the past five years. He has also been an unwavering St. Louis Cardinals fan since the age of 10.

In his free time, Light enjoys spending time with his two sons, ages 18 and 16, traveling, camping and gaming. He is very excited to return to St. Louis, where he grew up, and to continue his public service career in the community that first shaped his values and commitment to leadership.

"I'm incredibly excited to return to St. Louis, where I grew up, and to serve the city and community that shaped me. It's meaningful to come home and contribute my experience to strengthening the workplace culture and supporting the people who do such important work for this city," said Light.

Light will assume his new position on Jan. 12.

"Attracting and retaining staff is one of the most important things we have to do as a city as we work to improve city services. Getting the right person in charge of the Department of Personnel is one of the most critical decisions a mayor gets to make, and I have great confidence that Brian Light will help our city build a stronger workforce and achieve our goals," said Mayor Spencer. "I want to thank the Civil Service Commission, whose thorough search meant we had several excellent candidates."

As set forth in Article XVIII of the City Charter, the Civil Service Commission's role is to conduct the search process and certify a list of qualified candidates to the mayor. The Commission does not make recommendations, endorsements or selections for appointment, and the appointment authority rests with the mayor.

Interim Director of Personnel John Unnerstall has led the Department of Personnel since March, successfully updating the City's paid family and medical leave policy, beginning the implementation of recommendations from the recently completed compensation study and overseeing a steady reduction in the time to fill vacant positions.

"John Unnerstall has dedicated nearly two decades of his career to the Department of Personnel and has provided trusted and competent leadership during a time of transition, helping our city improve our policies and hiring practices, which benefits every department and resident of St. Louis. I'm grateful for his continued service," said Mayor Spencer.

Holly Roberts will join Mayor Spencer's team as director of communications with more than 15 years of experience in public relations, strategic communications and project management. She has spent the last decade as a federal consultant in Washington, D.C., and has handled public relations for state and federal government agencies and led large communications teams. She has a bachelor's degree in public relations from the University of Oklahoma and a master's degree in communication from the University of Kentucky, and has taught a variety of college-level courses, including Oral Communication for National Security Careers at the University of Maryland.

Roberts volunteers with the Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority and with the Junior League of Washington. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her dog, Ivy, listening to true-crime podcasts and reading creepy books that keep her up at night. With family in the area, she is excited to deepen her connection with a city and community she has already gotten to know.

"I am honored to be joining Mayor Spencer's team in serving the City of St. Louis. St. Louis is a special city - full of culture, community and resilience, and I consider it a privilege to be part of a mission-focused team working to make St. Louis even stronger," said Roberts.

Roberts will be physically based in St. Louis starting Feb. 2, but will step into the communications director role remotely starting Jan. 19.

"My commitment to transparency and open communications is unwavering, and I'm thrilled that Holly Roberts, an experienced communications professional who shares those values completely, has agreed to take on the role of communications director," said Mayor Spencer.