Dr. Kim Eagle was named Christiansburg’s new town manager this past November and took the job in January.
After six months on the job, she sat down to answer a few questions about her new job and its community.
Eagle brings nearly 30 years of distinguished experience in local government management, public administration, and strategic leadership. She most recently served as County Manager for Gaston County, North Carolina, where she oversaw a $420 million annual budget, led major modernization efforts, and guided the county to its first AAA bond rating (the highest possible credit rating that a government can receive). Eagle also managed more than $53 million in federal funding to expand water and sewer infrastructure, helping to strengthen Gaston County’s foundation for long-term development.
Prior to her tenure in Gaston County, Eagle served as Assistant City Manager and Budget Director for the City of Charlotte. In those roles, she provided leadership for departments with more than 5,000 employees and $808 million in operating budgets, managed the city’s $2.2 billion operating budget, and developed the Strategic Energy Action Plan, an initiative aligning environmental sustainability with fiscal responsibility and operational performance.
Eagle’s public service career also includes leadership roles with the City of Charlotte’s Office of Strategy and Budget, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department. Her academic experience complements her practical leadership — she earned her Doctorate in Public Administration from Virginia Tech in 2005 and has served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, teaching graduate courses in urban politics, budgeting, and performance management.
1) What is your impression of the town after your first 100 days as town manager?
My first 100 days have reinforced why Christiansburg is such a respected community in Southwest Virginia. What has stood out most is the strong sense of community pride, the quality of town services, and the commitment of employees who genuinely care about residents. I spent much of my time listening to council members, staff, business leaders, community organizations, and citizens. I’ve been impressed by how engaged people are in the future of the town.
What I’ve also learned is that Christiansburg is at an important point in its evolution. It has maintained its small-town character while experiencing growth and increased regional importance. My impression is that the town has a solid foundation and tremendous opportunities ahead if we continue to be strategic and proactive.
2) What do you see as the biggest pluses about the town?
The biggest strength is the people. This includes residents, employees, elected officials, business owners, and community partners. Communities succeed because of people, and Christiansburg has a culture of involvement and pride that many local governments would love to have.
Second, the town’s location is a tremendous advantage. Christiansburg sits at the crossroads of the New River Valley with excellent transportation access and proximity to Virginia Tech and other educational institutions. That creates economic opportunities that many communities simply don’t have.
Third, the town is financially stable and provides a high level of service. Coming from larger local governments, I recognize how important that foundation is. It gives us the ability to think strategically about the future rather than simply reacting to problems.
3) Then on the opposite hand, what do you see as the biggest challenges and minuses?
The biggest challenge is managing growth in a way that preserves the qualities people love about Christiansburg. Growth creates opportunities, but it also creates pressure on infrastructure, transportation, housing, and public services. Another challenge is remaining competitive in attracting businesses, workforce talent, and investment. Communities throughout Virginia are competing for the same opportunities, and we must distinguish ourselves.
Like many local governments, workforce recruitment and retention will remain an ongoing challenge. We need to ensure Christiansburg continues to be an employer of choice and a place where talented employees can build meaningful careers.
4) How do you feel your past experience helps in dealing with a smaller municipality like Christiansburg?
One lesson I’ve learned over more than 30 years in local government is that the fundamentals of leadership are the same regardless of size. Residents expect excellent service, employees want to be valued and supported, and elected officials want sound advice and professional management.
Having worked in much larger organizations gives me the benefit of seeing a wide range of challenges, opportunities, and best practices. I can bring ideas that have worked elsewhere while recognizing that every community is unique. My goal is never to import solutions from another community but to adopt proven practices to fit Christiansburg’s culture and needs.
In many ways, smaller communities can move more quickly and be more innovative because they are closer to their citizens and decision-makers. That creates exciting opportunities.
5) What are some of the things you hope to bring to the town in the future?
I hope to bring a combination of strategic thinking, innovation, and organizational development. I believe local governments should continuously improve how they operate while remaining focused on serving people.
Internally, I want to help create an environment where employees are empowered to contribute ideas, develop professionally, and thrive. My leadership philosophy centers on authenticity, trust, and creating a supportive culture where people can do their best work.
Externally, I hope to strengthen long-term planning efforts, expand partnerships, and position Christiansburg to take advantage of emerging opportunities in economic development, technology, infrastructure, and quality-of-life investments.
6) Revenue always drives the budget. What might be new ways to increase revenue here in the town?
I believe the best long-term revenue strategy is growing the tax base rather than increasing tax rates. That means attracting quality commercial and industrial investment, supporting existing businesses, and encouraging development that aligns with the community’s vision.
We should also continue pursuing state and federal grants, public-private partnerships, and regional collaborations that leverage outside resources. In many communities where I’ve worked, strategic grant funding has helped accelerate projects that otherwise would have taken years to accomplish.
Another opportunity is to ensure that town-owned assets, facilities, and services are being utilized effectively and evaluated periodically to determine whether there are appropriate revenue-generating opportunities that remain consistent with our public mission.
7) Tourism is an important asset for the New River Valley. What do you think we need to do to increase the number of visitors in the future?
The first step is to recognize that Christiansburg has an opportunity to serve as both a destination and a gateway to the region. We should continue strengthening partnerships with regional tourism organizations, Virginia Tech, neighboring localities, and the business community.
Visitors today are often looking for experiences rather than simply places. We should continue investing in events, recreational opportunities, downtown activities, cultural attractions, and amenities that encourage people to stay longer and spend more money locally.
We should also leverage our location by making it easy for visitors traveling through the region to discover what Christiansburg has to offer. Effective branding, marketing, and wayfinding can help turn pass-through traffic into overnight stays and repeat visits.
8) Looking into your crystal ball, what do you feel the future overall holds for Christiansburg?
I believe the future is very bright. Christiansburg is positioned at the intersection of several positive trends: regional growth, educational and research assets, transportation connectivity, and continued economic investment throughout the New River Valley. The challenge will not be whether opportunities exist, but how effectively we manage them. Communities that plan ahead, invest wisely, and remain true to their values tend to succeed over the long term.
If Christiansburg can balance growth with quality of life, maintain its financial strength, invest in its people, and think strategically about the future, I believe it can become one of the premier small communities in Virginia while preserving the character that makes it special today.
