Christen Wilcox selected as next City of Clarksville chief financial officer

CLARKSVILLE, TN – Christen Wilcox has been selected by Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts to serve as the next Chief Financial Officer for the City of Clarksville.

Upon confirmation of her appointment by the Clarksville City Council on Sept. 4, Wilcox will oversee the City’s Finance & Revenue Department, succeeding former CFO Laurie Matta, who has moved to Littleton, Colorado.

Since November 2020, Ms. Wilcox has been serving as Deputy CFO for the City of Clarksville.

“I am beyond pleased to present Christen Wilcox to the City Council for confirmation on September 4th,” said Pitts. “She has an impressive background and the right experience to lead our Finance and Revenue Department in the future.

“Since assuming the position as Deputy Chief Financial Officer in 2020, Christen has earned the respect of her colleagues, and been a major influence in keeping our City fiscally sound, and financially secure year after year. I look forward to her unanimous approval by the City Council,” Pitts said.

“I am honored and humbled that Mayor Pitts has entrusted me with the role as our City’s CFO,” Wilcox said. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside our outstanding Finance and Revenue team, while remaining committed to leading our City in all aspects of fiscal management.”

Wilcox’s governmental accounting career spans over two decades, beginning in 2002. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy, and a Master of Business Administration degree as well as the designations of Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) and Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO).

A graduate of Arizona State University, she began her career as a Senior Accountant before rising to the role of CFO in local governments across the country.

Wilcox has extensive experience in ensuring regulatory and reporting compliance as well as strategic and complex budgeting. She manages fiscal policy, and focuses on optimizing fiscal resources to align with both short-term and long-term community priorities.

Wilcox’s education and experience are what brought her to Clarksville as our Deputy CFO five years ago, and her commitment to strengthening fiscal transparency and process improvement are what make her the best candidate for Chief Financial Officer of the state’s fifth-largest city, Pitts said.