Mayor Announces New Chief of Staff at City Hall
HOUSTON — Mayor John Whitmire announced a major transition of leadership within his senior staff on Friday, according to a City of Houston press release. Chief of Staff Chris Newport will be departing his position, and Whitmire tapped Cynthia Wilson as Newport’s successor.
Newport came in at the beginning of Whitmire’s administration with a focus on the city’s financial situation, including the budget and financial strategy. He was instrumental in the renewal of key city contracts, including ones for police, fire and municipal employees. He also focused on the city’s response strategies to major storms and HPD suspended cases, among other duties.
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While Newport is stepping away from the role to focus on his family, he stated his service to the city and its mayor will be there when it’s needed:
“It has been an absolute honor to serve Mayor Whitmire and the City of Houston,” Newport said in a statement. “I continue to believe in the mayor’s vision for the city, and in its unmatched potential for this organization to be a force for good. I thank the wonderful team, colleagues, and employees of the city for allowing me to serve alongside them. My responsibilities to my family require me to serve in a different capacity, but the mayor knows that I will answer his or the city’s call—day or night.”
The mayor thanked Newport for his contributions to the city:
“On behalf of the city, I want to thank [Newport] for his service—and extend a sincere thank you to his family for their support during his time with us,” Mayor Whitmire said in a statement. “The long hours, late nights, and early mornings didn’t go unnoticed, and we are truly appreciative of the sacrifices they made alongside him.”
As for Wilson, she has been with the Whitmire administration from the start. She served as his senior advisor for “operations and quality of life issues.” Prior to her time with the City of Houston, Wilson served as District Superintendent for Houston ISD, Superintendent of Schools in the Orangeburg Consolidated School District in South Carolina and Chief of Staff and Chief Human Capital Management Officer for Dallas ISD.
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“[Wilson] and I have worked together for years, dating back to her time as a school administrator in my Texas Senate District,” Mayor Whitmire said in a statement. “She came out of retirement to join my mayoral administration and has been in my office for every major decision. I have complete confidence in her leadership and trust her ability to manage our municipal operations and challenges while advancing my priorities. She brings a wealth of experience and passion needed to get the job done.”
“This is a pivotal moment in the mayor’s administration, and we will continue the momentum to fix Houston with robust policies that strengthen public safety, improve infrastructure, stabilize the city’s finances, and enhance quality-of-life issues,” Wilson said in a statement. “Mayor Whitmire’s priorities are clear, and I look forward to building on the success of his administration.”
Wilson will be stepping into the role of Chief of Staff immediately, according to the press release.
