Mayor Ted Wheeler Appoints Kristin Dennis Chief of Staff

Mayor Ted Wheeler has appointed former deputy chief of staff Kristin Dennis as his new chief of staff.

She's his third chief of staff just over two years into his first term as mayor.

Dennis has served as deputy chief of staff and director of operations since the mayor took office in January 2017 and as interim chief of staff since Michael Cox, the previous chief of staff, resigned abruptly on January 4.

Cox had served as chief of staff for six months. It's not clear why Cox resigned, but it followed disclosure in December by Cox that he had a personal relationship with a subordinate.

At the time, Wheeler made accommodations for that personal relationship by rearranging the management structure in his office.

"Kristin is a trusted advisor," says Wheeler in a statement. "She brings leadership, integrity, and sharp political acumen to the job. I am thrilled to have her as my Chief of Staff. It's a challenging job, and she has already stepped up. I look forward to her continued leadership."

Dennis also worked for Wheeler when he was state treasurer as his chief of staff and his policy director.

"I am proud to work alongside a team that leads from conviction, values, and integrity," says Dennis. "We have so much to be proud of. We also have a lot of work ahead of us. It will be an honor to serve the city as the Mayor's Chief of Staff."

Wheeler's first chief of staff, Maurice Henderson, went on to become COO of TriMet. He has since announced his resignation from TriMet to work for the e-scooter company Bird.

Mayor Ted Wheeler Appoints Kristin Dennis Chief of Staff

Dennis has served as his deputy chief of staff since he became mayor.