FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, July 23, 2018
Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, 415-554-6131

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MAYOR LONDON BREED FILLS KEY STAFF POSITIONS
Experience, diversity hallmarks of new senior staff

San Francisco, CA– San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed today announced she has selected a diverse, experienced group of public servants to serve in key positions in her administration.

With these hires, Mayor Breed has assembled a team of proven leaders with extensive experience in city government to round out her administration.

“There is a tremendous amount of work to do, and we are not wasting any time,” said Mayor Breed. “With these talented people serving alongside me, I am confident we will deliver results for the people of San Francisco.”

Mayor Breed announced last month that former Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, who currently serves as U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein’s State Director, will return to City Hall as her Chief of Staff in November; Jason Elliott, who currently serves as Chief of Staff, will stay on through August.

The senior staff members Mayor Breed announced today include:

Marjan Philhour, Senior Advisor to the Mayor
Philhour’s career spans more than two decades in government, politics, community organizing and political advocacy. She spent many years in Washington, D.C., serving several members of Congress, including the late Rep. Tom Lantos, and worked on Sen. John Kerry’s presidential campaign. Returning home to California, Philhour served as Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff in the Governor Gray Davis Administration. For the past decade, she has run a successful business that focused on strategic communications, community organizing, and campaign consulting.  

Andrea Bruss, Deputy Chief of Staff
Bruss is an attorney and 11-year veteran of City Hall who previously served as Legislative Aide to Mayor Breed when she was President of the Board of Supervisors. Prior to that, Bruss served as Legislative Aide at the Board of Supervisors and in the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD).

Jeff Cretan, Communications Director
Cretan, who currently serves as Communications Director for State Sen. Scott Wiener, will head Mayor Breed’s Office of Communications starting in August. Cretan previously served as a Legislative Aide at the Board of Supervisors. Deirdre Hussey, who serves as the current Communications Director, will stay on through August.

Kelly Kirkpatrick, Budget Director
Kirkpatrick has served as the Acting Budget Director for the Mayor since March; Mayor Breed has promoted her to the permanent position. Over the course of her nearly four years in the Mayor’s Budget Office, Kirkpatrick has worked on a broad array of policy and budget matters, after starting her government career with the City of Berkeley.

Andres Power, Policy Director
Power has served under the previous two mayoral administrations as a Senior Policy Advisor and, most recently, as the Mayor's Liaison to the Board of Supervisors.  He previously worked as a Legislative Aide at the Board of Supervisors, after six years with the San Francisco Planning Department.

Selina Sun, Director of Scheduling
Sun served as Assistant to the Chief of Staff in two previous mayoral administrations. In that capacity she focused on special projects and streamlining of office processes. Sun is also active in local API community organizations.

Kanishka K. Cheng, Mayor’s Liaison to the Board of Supervisors
After escaping the Sri Lankan civil war as a child, Cheng was the first in her family to go to college. Cheng’s career in public service includes positions at the Oakland Housing Authority, the San Francisco Planning Department, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors as a Legislative Aide, and the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Mawuli Tugbenyoh, Mayor’s Liaison to Boards and Commissions
Tugbenyoh previously served as Legislative Director and Liaison to the Board of Supervisors in two previous administrations. Tugbenyoh was Deputy Director of a housing non-profit for mentally ill adults before beginning his work in local government in 2012 as a Legislative Aide to Supervisor Malia Cohen.

Alex Lazar, Director, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services
A longtime aide to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Lazar has led the Congresswoman’s constituent services operation in San Francisco. Lazar is also active in LGBT community organizations.

Judy Lee, Deputy Director, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services and Lead on Asian-Pacific Islander Affairs
A native San Franciscan, Lee started her career with the City in 2012 and has held various positions at the Department of Human Resources, MTA, and most recently as a Legislative Aide at the Board of Supervisors.  

Mayor-Elect Breed was sworn in as San Francisco’s 45^th mayor on July 11, 2018. She is only the second female mayor in the City’s long history – after Feinstein – and only its second African American mayor. She is San Francisco’s first woman of color to hold the office.

Mayor Breed continues to fill key vacancies for staff, boards, and commissions, and welcomes resumes from interested parties to MayorLondonBreed@sfgov.org.

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