Last year saw important changes in the leadership of Oakland’s government, not least of which was the election of a new mayor.
But there were a lot of other significant hirings, resignations, and job changes in key posts heading departments or agencies with big responsibilities.
To help you get situated in the new year, we’ve outlined some of the big transitions that took place in City Hall in 2025.
Top city leaders left in droves last year
In April, District 6 Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, who was serving as interim mayor at the time, fired Leigh Hanson, his chief of staff. Hanson had originally been hired by Sheng Thao and stayed on Thao was recalled and indicted. The impetus for Hanson’s pink slip was the public uproar about notes that she took during a meeting that included a pejorative term for Black people. Hanson said the meaning of the notes was being misconstrued, and she has since taken steps signaling she might sue the city. Shortly after firing Hanson, Jenkins terminated several other Thao holdovers.
Erin Roseman, the director of Oakland’s Finance Department, left her job last summer shortly before the city finalized its budget.
In June, the city administrator fired LaTonda Simmons, an assistant city administrator who had served the city for 23 years, including as city clerk.
In September, Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey left Oakland to work as city manager for the Bay Area city of Brentwood.
In October, Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced he was leaving his post after less than two years on the job. The department is being led by Interim Chief James Beere until the mayor hires a permanent replacement.
Mac Muir, the head of the civilian oversight body that investigates police misconduct, also left the city last year. Antonio Lawson, counsel to the Community Police Review Agency, took over as interim leader.
Fred Kelley, director of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Development, left his job last fall. He was replaced by Interim Director Myka Hammock, who previously oversaw Oakland recreational programs for the department.
Oakland made some big hires, including a former councilmember
The city hired Chuck Baker as an assistant city administrator at the end of 2025. Baker comes to Oakland from Santa Clara, where he held a similar position and oversaw Levi’s Stadium and the Santa Clara Convention Center. Baker helped negotiate agreements to bring the Super Bowl and World Cup to Santa Clara next year.
In December, the city appointed Jason Lester as the new director of the Human Services Department. Lester joined the city from El Paso County, Colorado, where he helped oversee an agency responsible for youth and family services.
The city also saw a couple familiar faces return to City Hall. In September, the City Administrator hired Rebecca Kaplan as a project manager to do policy research on illegal dumping and blight.
Over the summer, the city also announced that Michelle Phillips would return to Oakland to work as an assistant city administrator. Phillips was previously the Police Commission’s inspector general, tasked with auditing and overseeing OPD’s policies and practices, but she left in 2024 to work as the director of civil rights in Minneapolis.
And city leaders executed some big internal transitions. Oakland’s budget guru, Bradley Johnson, took over as finance director last fall.
In December, City Administrator Jestin Johnson decided to remove Josh Rowan from his job overseeing Public Works to focus solely on the Department of Transportation. He had been working double-duty, heading up both departments. In a letter, Johnson thanked Rowan and credited him with stabilizing operations after the departure of Interim Public Works Director Mike Kashiwagi. Liam Garland, who previously served as the assistant to the director and assistant director, will be the new head of OPW.
The city also announced in December that Joe DeVries would transition to permanent director of Oakland Animal Services. DeVries previously served as acting director while simultaneously working as a deputy city administrator. He also recently worked as Oakland’s chief privacy officer and helped launch a working group that explored how the city might use artificial intelligence.
Sofia Navarro, who has held interim leadership roles in the departments of Economic and Workforce Development and Human Services, is taking over as a deputy city administrator.
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