Lydia Pettis Patton begins term as city manager in Portsmouth
Published
Portsmouth’s new city manager, Lydia Pettis Patton, is a former employee who has returned home.
Patton, who is the Portsmouth’s first female city manager, started her job on Sept. 1.
Patton held numerous positions with Portsmouth after beginning her local government career in 1986 and working for the city for 22 years.
During that time, she served as department head for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services for about seven years and was later promoted to deputy city manager, a position she held for six years.
More recently, Patton served as an associate director at the Chicago-based Illinois Institute of Technology focusing on international outreach and engagement at the university’s Office of Student Access, Success and Diversity Initiatives.
