OV Deputy Town Manager Cornelison receives international credential

Published on October 24, 2025

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (Oct. 24, 2025) – Chris Cornelison, Deputy Town Manager for the Town of Oro Valley, Arizona, has received the Credentialed Manager designation from ICMA, the International City/County Management Association. Cornelison is one of more than 1,300 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program.

ICMA, with its 13,000 members from 27 countries, advances professional local government worldwide through leadership, management, innovation and ethics.

To receive the prestigious ICMA credential, a member must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government; hold a degree, preferably in public administration or a related field; and demonstrate a commitment to high standards of integrity, lifelong learning and professional development.

Cornelison has 15 years of professional local government experience, all with the Town of Oro Valley. He began his public service career with the Town in 2010, serving in several positions before being appointed Assistant Town Manager in 2017. In 2021, he was promoted to his current position of Deputy Town Manager, with a brief stint as Interim Town Manager from 2022 to 2023.

Cornelison holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, and a Master of Public Administration with a dual focus in Finance and Local Government. During his time at the university, he founded the original University of Arizona ICMA Student Chapter and continues to serve as Professional Advisor to the chapter.

A lifelong Wildcat, Cornelison gives back to his alma mater by serving on the School’s Academic Review Committee as well as the Community Advisory Board for the School of Government and Public Policy. He also teaches Human Resources Management as an adjunct instructor in the University’s Master of Public Administration program.

Chris Cornelison, Deputy Town Manager for the Town of Oro Valley

About ICMA
ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide. The organization’s mission is to advance professional local government through leadership, management, innovation and ethics.

ICMA identifies leading practices to address the needs of local governments and professionals serving communities globally. They provide services, research, publications, data and information, peer and results-oriented assistance, and training and professional development to thousands of city, town, and county leaders and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of people living in thousands of communities, ranging in size from small towns to large metropolitan areas.

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