By Angela Wells

Our lives are made up of a string of changes — beautiful, daunting, exciting changes.

At the Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP), we’ve recently come face-to-face with that reality. Kris Michell, our president and CEO since 2011, has taken a new gig at City Hall, and our search for a new leader has begun.

Without question, we will not find another Kris Michell. If there is one thing every single person in Downtown can agree on, it’s that. Kris is a passionate, dynamic, determined leader — one who motivates those who work with her to push themselves to the limit.

While she will be missed dearly at the helm, she has created a powerhouse of an organization — with a staff of 24 with 60 additional safety and maintenance ambassadors — which will continue to grow under our next CEO — another testament to her fantastic leadership abilities.

Under the guidance of Craig Benedetto, Downtown Partnership’s board chairman, and Trevor Blair, principal of Blair Search Partners, the pursuit of a new leader for the partnership is in good hands.

In the meantime, our staff members are thrilled to work with interim CEO Bill Geppert, to envision what the future will look like in our urban core.

We wish Kris Michell — our favorite boss lady — the best, as she embarks on her next journey. Undoubtedly, she will excel in her new role as deputy chief operating officer for the city of San Diego … and we can’t wait to watch.

We also can’t wait to take one or two vacation days!

Thank you, Kris, for your dedication to this organization, its staff, and the greater Downtown community over the past seven years. You’ve drafted, mentored and coached one heck of a dream team at the partnership and we could not be prouder to be a part of it.

—Angela Wells is the Downtown Partnership’s director of communications. She can be reached at [email protected].