Chandler Acting City Manager John Pombier has named Marge Zylla as the city’s strategic initiatives director to lead its government relations, transportation policy and grants teams.

Zylla also will serve as the principal person responsible for complex negotiations on behalf of the city.

She was set to begin her new position in Chandler on Oct. 6, succeeding Ryan Peters, who was promoted to Deputy City Manager in August.

Zylla has almost 20 years of experience in state and municipal public policy. She has been the Arizona Governor’s Office director of fiscal and legislative affairs since 2023.

Prior to that, she worked for 10 years as the City of Tempe’s Government Relations Director and six years as a senior fiscal analyst at the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee. 

This Chandler role will leverage her experience leading cross-disciplinary teams with her abilities to align financial and policy priorities. She has an extensive record of translating complex fiscal data into actionable insights for elected officials and executive leadership.

Zylla is a graduate of Arizona State University with a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in communication.

As Strategic Initiatives Director, Zylla will execute Chandler’s federal, state and regional policy agenda to fulfill the interests of the community.

This team also works to secure regional, state and federal transportation funding and assists city departments leverage programs with grant opportunities. It also coordinates Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and oversees the city’s transit system.

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