Mayor John Cooper adds two top advisers

On a busy Thursday, Mayor John Cooper also announced the hiring of a new deputy mayor and the promotion of a new chief of staff.

• Sam Wilcox, a banking professional and Middle Tennessee native, will be the new deputy mayor for innovation and policy. Wilcox is just 28, but the veteran of several Nashville political campaigns.
• Jennifer Rasmussen-Sagan was promoted to Cooper's new chief of staff. Rasmussen-Sagan, 50, has served as a senior staff assistant since 2020.

Why it matters: Cooper's administration has suffered a rash of departures in the last 15 months.

• Because Wilcox has campaign experience, the addition could be interpreted as an early sign that Cooper intends to run for re-election next year. He hasn't committed to doing so yet.

Between the lines: Current deputy mayor and chief of staff Bill Phillips will now step back to a part-time advisory role for Cooper.