LA Mayor Karen Bass announces more senior staff members

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced several additional senior staff members Saturday as she continues filling out her leadership team after taking office earlier this week.

“The people of Los Angeles deserve a team that’s as ethical as they are effective, and that’s what I am building,” Bass said. “We are leading L.A. forward with respect for our fellow public servants, respect for public service and respect for the trust that the people have placed in us.”

The new staff members are:

— Jenny Punsalan Delwood, deputy chief of staff. Delwood, who was Bass’ campaign manager, will oversee the mayor’s constituent services, public engagement, legislative and intergovernmental strategy, international affairs, budget and innovation team, operations and scheduling. She formally served as the executive vice president at Liberty Hill Foundation and oversaw programs, grantmaking, strategic planning. She also served as chief deputy for children, youth and families with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was Bass’ legislative director in Congress.

— Veronica Gutierrez, interim deputy chief of staff. Gutierrez will assess staffing, scope of work and policy development in the mayor’s office and will oversee public safety, economic development, economic opportunity and sustainability. She is serving in an interim capacity to help set up the office for the first few months, then plans to return to retirement. Gutierrez has extensive experience in city service, having served in various roles on the staff of former Councilmembers Gloria Molina and Jackie Goldberg.

— David Michaelson, counsel to the mayor. Michaelson has been chief assistant city attorney for Los Angeles for the last 17 years.

— Zach Seidl, communications director and senior advisor, acting deputy mayor of communications. Seidl has worked for Bass for the past seven years, most recently as communications director and senior advisor in her congressional office.

— Joey Freeman, director of policy and budget initiatives. Freeman was a senior advisor and policy director for Bass’ mayoral campaign, and previously served as the chief deputy legislative affairs secretary for Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Bass previously announced that Chris Thompson would be her chief of staff, and Mercedes Marquez would be chief of housing and homelessness solutions.

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