One of the two West Seattleites helping lead Mayor-elect Katie Wilson‘s transition team will have a major role in her administration too – Brian Surratt has been announced as her deputy mayor. (Just one deputy mayor, unlike outgoing Mayor Bruce Harrell, who has four.) Brian Surratt will be Wilson’s second-in-command. Here’s how the announcement describes him and his role:
The Deputy Mayor is responsible for building public will for the Mayor’s key policy priorities. Brian is a multi-sector executive with 25 years of experience driving economic development and cultivating partnerships across private and public sectors and diverse communities. Currently, Brian is the CEO of Greater Seattle Partners, a private/public partnership focused on attracting new business, promoting international trade, and growing our major industries for the region. Previously, Brian was the Director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, where he oversaw small business, workforce, key industry, foreign-direct investment, and anti-displacement programs and strategies, and negotiated the city’s $1.2 billion development agreement to build Climate Pledge Arena. During his time in the Mayor’s Office of Policy and Innovation, Brian served as the policy lead in Seattle’s effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
The mayor-elect’s announcement today included six other senior staff members:
Kate Brunette Kreuzer, Chief of Staff
• Jen Chan, Director of Departments
• Seferiana Day Hasegawa, Director of Communications
• Alex Gallo-Brown, Director of Community Relations
• Aly Pennucci, Director of City Budget Office
• Nicole Vallestero Soper, Director of Policy and Innovation
Department-head choices such as Transportation and Parks & Recreation are yet to come.