Crowe, who starts in the role on Monday, spent the last five years at JumpStart Inc., where she most recently served as principal of data governance and analytics.
“Now is a critical time for this role, as cities around the country are increasingly leveraging data and analytics to make better decisions about how to effectively govern,” Bibb said in a news release. “We intend to follow examples set in Boston, Baltimore, and D.C. to create a best-in-class office that helps us make informed decisions and identify creative and innovative solutions to Cleveland’s challenges.”
Crowe, who holds a Ph.D in public administration and policy from American University, is an economist and researcher whose experience includes the areas of economic development, nonprofit management, venture capital and private equity. Prior to JumpStart, she worked at the Urban Institute in Washington D.C., and at the Congressional Research Service at the U.S. Library of Congress.
“Liz’s incredible analytical abilities and sophisticated data know-how, combined with her natural leadership qualities, make her the ideal person to lead the department into the future,” said Chief Strategy Officer Bradford Davy, who oversees the city’s Office of Quality Control and Performance Management.
Bibb intends to rename the office at some point after Crowe starts the job. He also intends to revamp the office “to champion the use of data and modern data analysis, visualizations, and storytelling to provide a much more engaged approach to performance improvement and change management,” the release stated.
Bibb spokeswoman Marie Zickefoose said the office’s “mission” and “scope of work is going to be very different” after the revamp.
Crowe, the release said, will “oversee deliberate strategic planning to advance Cleveland’s position as a leader in modern, data-informed governance.”
She’ll be assisted by a newly-created role of assistant director and head of urban data, who will be “the City’s data champion, working in tandem with Director Crowe on a long-term strategic plan, an interactive City data portal, and metrics around these efforts,” the release said.
The Office of Quality Control and Performance Management was created in 2017 under former Mayor Frank Jackson, who tasked it with monitoring, assessing and improving city services through data review and analysis.
Two months later, Jackson named Sabra T. Scott, former City Council member, and his former campaign manager, as its leader. Scott had resigned her council seat in 2009 amid a federal corruption probe and later pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe from a contractor embroiled in the investigation.
Scott has continued to head up the office over the first seven months of the Bibb administration.
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