The City of Durham is welcoming a new Deputy City Manager to its ranks, Jina Bowman Propst, a seasoned city staffer with a two-decade track record. City Manager Bo Ferguson, made the announcement of Propst's appointment, where she will oversee seven departments, managing a workforce of more than 1,000 and handling annual budgets that eclipse $225 million, according to the City of Durham's official announcement.
Propst, who stepped into her role as the director of the City’s General Services Department in January 2020, has accumulated nearly 20 years of leadership experience within the city organization. In her past roles, she's not only been a steering hand but also, a proactive contributor to the city’s development agenda. “We're fortunate that the most qualified person for this important position was already on our team,” Ferguson said, acknowledging the depth of experience Propst brings to the table, as per the City of Durham.
The responsibilities now shouldered by Propst encompass a complex array of city departments: City-County Building & Safety, City-County Planning & Development, Environmental & Street Services, Fleet Management, General Services, Transportation, and Water Management. This diverse portfolio covers some of the city's crucial operational aspects, touching every corner of city management from infrastructure to environmental sustainability.
In a statement obtained by the City of Durham, expressing her readiness for the challenges ahead, Propst said, “It’s an honor to step into this new role and continue serving a city and organization where I’ve dedicated the past 2 decades.” Her contributions to Durham are not limited to official capacities, as she acts as a member of various community organizations such as the Rotary Club of Durham and StepUp Durham, extending her influence beyond city hall.
Prior to her tenure with the City of Durham, Propst practiced construction law from 1998 until 2005, representing diverse clients in the construction sector within North Carolina's state and federal courts. An alumnus of Wake Forest University, she graduated from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, further honing her administrative acumen with a completion of the UNC School of Government’s Municipal and County Administration program in 2015 and the Regional Leadership Program in 2024. A proud Leadership Triangle Goodmon Fellow, Propst’s array of affiliations include the North Carolina Bar Association and the Campbell Law Alumni Association, denoting her strong ties to the legal and academic communities.
