The City of Brentwood has officially announced the appointment of Tonya Travis as its new finance director, a move that comes ahead of the current finance director, Karen Harper's, scheduled retirement in early 2026. Travis, who comes with over two decades of public finance experience, is to assume her new duties on August 4. Brentwood City Manager Jason Gage was reported to be expressing confidence in this transition. "Tonya will fill the position concurrently with Karen Harper, who plans to retire in early 2026," Gage said, as obtained by Brentwoodtn.gov. "Both individuals will work together through the fall and winter, providing Tonya with ample opportunity to learn about the function, organization, and community."
Travis's credentials include a tenure serving as a finance and accounting consultant for the University of Tennessee Institute of Public Service Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS), specifically working with cities in Tennessee. Her educational background is underscored by a bachelor's degree in accounting from Middle Tennessee State University. Gage, in his announcement, highlighted the anticipatory nature of the appointment by stating, "We’re excited for Tonya to continue this tradition," referring to Brentwood's standards of fiscal excellence.
Karen Harper, who Travis will be shadowing for the transitional period, has a storied history with the Brentwood finance department. Harper joined the organization in 1996 and rose through the ranks to become the director of finance in 2020. Under Harper’s leadership, Brentwood received its 33rd consecutive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its 2025 annual budget document. Her retirement will mark a change of guard for the department, which seems to have been carefully planned to maintain continuity.
Travis' entry into Brentwood's financial governance is met with expectations that match her predecessor's track record – a trajectory of maintaining and perhaps elevating the city's fiscal health. "She brings to the job a high level of knowledge, experience, and customer service skills. We are very excited to welcome her into the City of Brentwood family this August," said Gage, as per the information on the Brentwood municipal website. Her past experience in public finance will now be put to test as she helps to seamlessly guide Brentwood through the complexities that come with city budgeting and finance in a post-COVID-19 economic landscape.
