The Falls Church City Council voted Monday night to appoint Seth Hendler-Voss as the City’s next city manager, succeeding longtime City Manager Wyatt Shields, who is retiring after 23 years with the City government.
Hendler-Voss will take over as the chief administrative executive of the independent City on Monday, Sept. 14.
Pictured from left to right: Justine Underhill, Marybeth Connelly, David Snyder, Letty Hardi, Seth Hendler-Voss, Laura Downs, Erin Flynn, and Arthur Agin.
“Seth brings to the City of Falls Church an extraordinary combination of local government experience, creative problem-solving, and a deep commitment to building strong, connected communities,” Mayor Letty Hardi said following the vote.
Hardi cited Hendler-Voss’ experience in economic development, parks and public spaces, housing and infrastructure, as well as his work engaging residents and managing local government operations.
“We are thrilled to welcome Seth and his family to The Little City,” Hardi said. “His energy, collaborative spirit, and passion for community make him an excellent fit for the City, and I look forward to working with him as we build on all that makes our City such a special place to live, work, and call home.”
Hendler-Voss said he was honored by the Council’s decision and eager to begin working with City staff and residents.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the City of Falls Church community and humbled by City Council’s confidence during this pivotal time of transition,” Hendler-Voss said.
He said he intends to focus on maintaining Falls Church’s character while pursuing opportunities to improve residents’ quality of life, support local businesses and maintain high-quality City services.
Hendler-Voss comes to Falls Church with approximately two decades of public service experience in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. Most recently, he led the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation.
During nearly a decade in Prince William County, Hendler-Voss oversaw an agency with a $115 million budget, 1,400 employees and seven divisions. His responsibilities also included the consolidation of the county’s Convention and Visitors Bureau into county government and oversight of tourism through 2023.
He co-led a $396 million bond referendum that received 68 percent voter approval, according to the City, and was involved in accelerating capital projects, negotiating $25 million in private partnerships and expanding the county’s tourism economy.
Before joining Prince William County, Hendler-Voss spent three years as town manager of Canton, N.C., where he oversaw municipal operations including police, fire, water and sewer and public works.
During his tenure in Canton, he helped establish what the City described as Haywood County’s first living wage-certified municipality and developed an economic development strategy credited with producing a dozen new business startups and expansions. His work also included water system modernization and pedestrian safety improvements.
Hendler-Voss previously spent 12 years as planning manager and principal landscape architect for Asheville, N.C., where his work included expansion of the city’s greenway system and stormwater management and flood resiliency projects. He also served as a principal landscape architect for the City of Atlanta, designing parks and organizing volunteer playground construction projects.
His career has also included work in the nonprofit and private sectors in Georgia and Wise County, Va., including home repair programs, anti-predatory lending advocacy, streetscape revitalization and traffic-calming projects.
Hendler-Voss earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Western Carolina University in 2013 and a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Penn State University in 2001. He is also a 2023 graduate of the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center’s Senior Executive Institute.
He currently serves on the board of directors of the Hylton Performing Arts Center at George Mason University and is a fellow of the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration.
Hendler-Voss and his wife, the Rev. Amanda Hendler-Voss, senior minister at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C., have two children. Their older child attends Christopher Newport University, while their younger child is entering ninth grade at Meridian High School this fall.
Shields, who previously announced his retirement after 23 years with the City, will serve his final day as city manager Friday, Sept. 4.
Deputy City Manager Jenny Carroll will serve as acting city manager between Shields’ departure and Hendler-Voss’ first day Sept. 14.
