Centralia announces three city manager finalists

The City of Centralia has announced three finalists to fill the city manager role left vacant following the retirement of Rob Hill.

The finalists are Robert Harrison, Chandra Wax and Jennifer Wills.

Community members are invited to attend a reception to meet the finalists from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, in the multipurpose room at the Centralia Train Depot, 210 N. Railroad Ave., Centralia.

The Centralia City Council will hold a special meeting at 8 a.m. July 11 at Centralia City Hall to conduct interviews for the city manager position. This meeting will be held in executive session and will not be open to the public.

Hill retired in May after working in the position since 2010.

The City of Centralia provided the following information about each of the finalists:

• Robert Harrison is currently president of The Harrison Group, LLC, which provides public sector consulting services. Prior to that, he was the city manager for the City of Yakima from 2020 to 2024. His other Washington experience includes serving as chief administrative officer for the City of Renton from 2018 to 2020 and city administrator for the City of Issaquah from 2010 to 2018. Harrison was also the city manager for the City of Wyoming, Ohio, for 12 years and was the city administrator for the City of Mosinee, Wisconsin, early in his career. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from Marquette University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin.

• Chandra Wax has been the director of enforcement and education for the Washington state Liquor and Cannabis Board since January 2021. Prior to that, she was with the Olympia Police Department from 2010 to 2021, first serving as jail administrator and then administrator from 2018 to 2021. Wax was with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office from 1999 to 2010 as she served in officer and sergeant positions until she was promoted to deputy chief of corrections in 2004. She has a bachelor's degree in public administration from The Evergreen State College, a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Brandman University, and she has been working on a doctorate degree in public administration.

• Jennifer Wills has been with the City of Longview since 2007, where she started as a recreation coordinator. She served as an administrative assistant from 2012 to 2014, recreation manager from 2014 to 2015, and has been the parks and recreation director since 2015. Wills has also been a small business owner and manager. She has a bachelor’s degree in recreation management with a minor in business management from Springfield College in Massachusetts and she attended the National Outdoor Leadership School in Patagonia, Chile, where she completed courses in leadership and wilderness first response.