BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 02: Michelle Wu speaks to supporters at an election night event on November 2, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. Michelle Wu defeated fellow Democratic City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George and has been elected mayor, becoming the city’s first woman and person of color to hold the post. (Photo by Allison Dinner/Getty Images)
A week after winning office as Boston's mayor, and a week before stepping into the role, Michelle Wu has announced new plans for her transition.
The mayor-elect on Tuesday named co-chairs and advisors of her transition team, including outgoing Mayor Kim Janey, who will serve as the honorary chair of the transition.
The co-chairs of the team include Charlotte Golar Richie, a former Massachusetts state representative and current senior vice president for public policy, advocacy and government relations at YouthBuild USA; Jay Gonzalez, former state secretary of administration and finance and current partner at the law firm Hinckley Allen; and Noemi “Mimi” Ramos, community activist and current executive director of New England United 4 Justice.
Wu's transition advisors “will bring a range of lived experiences, expertise, and perspectives,” her team said in a statement. The list includes professors, activists and community leaders, among others.
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“I am grateful to these community leaders and partners for sharing their wisdom and insight to our work in this important transition period,” Wu said in a statement. “This group represents just the beginning of our work to uplift bold solutions to the biggest challenges that await us, and to enlist community in the work of making them a reality.”
The updated list provided by the Wu team:
- Julian Agyeman, Ph.D. FRSA FRGS, Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning and Fletcher Professor of Rhetoric and Debate, Tufts University
- Dana Alas, Organizing Director, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
- Shawn Brown, Executive Director, Becoming A Man, Boston
- Joe Byrne, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
- Ali Fong, Chef and Co-Founder, Bon Me
- Trish Fontanilla, Head of Community, Simplr
- Rev. Dr. Arlene Hall, Pastor, Deliverance Temple Worship Center
- José Massó, Broadcaster and Producer, ¡Con Salsa! on WBUR
- Marcus McNeil, Student, Fenway High School
- Cassandra Pierre, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Medicine and Medical Director of Public Health Programs, Boston Medical Center
- Micho Spring, Chair of the Weber Shandwick Global Corporate Practice, President of Weber Shandwick New England, and Board Chair of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
- Kannan Thiruvengadam, climate activist and Director, Eastie Farm
- Mitchell Weiss, Richard L. Menschel Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School
Last week, Wu announced her official transition website, with information about the transition and option to provide feedback or apply to join her administration.
Wu will be officially sworn in as new mayor of Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 16, after she won the mayoral election on Nov. 2. The team will assist Wu during the transition period and in the early days of her administration.
