City Clerk’s Office

​

Bianca L. Tirado, Chief Deputy/Director of Operations

Bianca Tirado serves as the Chief Deputy Clerk and Director of Operations for the Clerk’s Office. Bianca serves as the administrative arm of the clerk’s office, working to advance the Clerk’s vision of an open, honest and transparent municipal government by ensuring the preparation and maintenance of records pertaining to the business conducted by Common Council members. She also serves as the fiscal officer and oversees all personnel and Human Resource related activities for the Clerk’s Office and the Common Council.

A Chicago native and raised in South Bend, Bianca graduated from Riley High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in African and African American Diaspora Studies at Indiana University.

Bianca previously served as Honors Advisor for the American Honors Program at Ivy Tech Community College. She also served as Assistant Director for the Office of Student Involvement and Multicultural services at Saint Mary’s College where she oversaw diversity and inclusion policies within student affairs.

Graham D. Sparks, Deputy/Director of Policy

Graham Sparks serves as the Deputy Clerk and Director of Policy. Graham oversees the legal compliance process and legislative policy management of the Clerk’s office.

Graham earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. During his collegiate journey, Graham served as a Residence Advisor and Vice President for the student body.

Though being born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Graham was eight when his family moved to New Zealand. Upon returning to the States, Graham spent his middle school and high school years in Rochester, Minnesota. He is a proud product of the American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation programs and is honored to be serving in municipal government.

Gabriel N. Murei, Ordinance Violations Bureau Clerk

Gabriel serves as the Ordinance Violations Bureau Clerk.  He is accountable to the City Clerk for all Ordinance Violation transactions and functions governed under City Municipal and State Code.  He also processes and collects payment for tickets issued by all departments and individuals commissioned in the City.

Gabriel Murei earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a minor in Education from Wabash College. During his collegiate experience, Gabriel played soccer for the Wabash College Little Giants and was the President of the African Student Association.

Gabriel is a Kenyan native and moved to the United States when he was 12 years old. He is a proud South Bend Washington Panther class of 2014. During his free time, Gabriel enjoys playing soccer, kayaking, and working out.

Rachael E. Coates, Administrative/Executive Assistant

Rachael (Kitchen) Coates has been born and raised in South Bend, IN.  She attended Ancilla and Ivy Tech colleges before spending a few years traveling the states and overseas. During her time away, Rachael lived in Colorado and Michigan where she spent time mentoring youth and working in missions. She is now furthering her studies going to Indiana Wesleyan University pursuing a degree in Psychology of Human Services.

Her decade of work experience in Hospitality Management includes various managerial roles, the most recent one being a position with the University of Notre Dame’s Morris Inn Conference Center. She then spent the last few years working as the Special Projects Coordinator for The Salvation Army Kroc Community Center. Rachael has been involved in serving the community or living out her passion for community engagement in some capacity for the last 15 years.

She is a proud mother of an 11-year-old boy who attends Holy Cross grade school, here in South Bend.  In her free time, she loves coffee, meaningful conversations, family and friends, and being out in nature.