Innovation and Efficiency Finalists - Excellence in Public Service Awards

Public service requires constantly finding better, smarter ways to serve the residents of the City of St. Louis.

Presented as part of the Excellence in Public Service Awards, the Innovation & Efficiency Award honors dedicated City employees who look at daily operational challenges and invent creative, forward-thinking solutions that streamline workflows, save taxpayer resources, and keep our city moving forward.

Whether transforming vacant land into thriving natural ecosystems, digitizing legacy systems to track real-time inventory, or building data-driven mapping tools that protect first responders, this year’s three finalists embody the highest standards of the Excellence in Public Service Awards and the spirit of modern public service.

Join us at the Rotunda, City Hall, on Tuesday, October 13, as we celebrate these outstanding public servants and reveal the recipient of the Innovation & Efficiency Award! The Excellence in Public Service Awards program runs from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

See all the nomination categories and finalists here.

Elizabeth Dasenbrock

Forestry Division

Elizabeth Dasenbrock oversees the Forestry Division's Natural Lands Program, converting unused park land and vacant lots into thriving native ecosystems. What started three and a half years ago as a one-person effort has grown into a dedicated team managing 60 acres across the city. By bridging field operations with strategic community partnerships, Elizabeth has brought private-sector expertise and deep local passion to building sustainable, beautiful spaces for St. Louis residents.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better crew to work with.” — Elizabeth Dasenbrock

Kurtis Michelfelder

Water Division

Kurtis Michelfelder works behind the scenes to eliminate operational friction and streamline how the Water Division serves the city. In less than six months, Kurtis spearheaded the division’s shift from paper material requests to a fully digital system—creating its first live storeroom database. His focus on proactive process-building ensures front-line teams have real-time access to the inventory they need before supplies run low.

“My job is to build processes so that the same issue doesn’t happen again.”

Deputy Fire Chief Derrick Phillips

St. Louis Fire Department

As Executive Officer and Commander of A-Shift, Deputy Chief Derrick Phillips balances fiscal management, Homeland Security, and department-wide operations. To address safety risks posed by vacant structures, he created the Vacant Building Safety and Mapping Program. This end-to-end system integrates digital evaluation forms directly into dispatch systems, delivering automated caution notes and structural integrity ratings to first responders before they arrive on scene.

Deputy Chief Phillips was inspired to join the fire service by several friends who were already serving. Outside of work, he enjoys reading and exploring the world, with a particular interest in ancient cultures such as the Aztecs and the Mayans.