Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Friday appointed two deputy mayors to oversee his economic agenda, replacing Deputy Mayor Kelli Bernard, who left earlier this month to take an executive position at Aecom.
Garcetti named Raymond Chan, who has served the past two years as general manager of the Department of Building and Safety, as deputy mayor for economic development. He will lead efforts to create jobs, attract investment and make the city more business-friendly.
He also named Brenda Shockley, who has served 24 years as president of Community Build, a nonprofit focused on revitalizing south L.A., as deputy mayor for economic opportunity. She will focus on fighting poverty, finding housing for the homeless and improving access to workforce training programs.
“Raymond and Brenda are two proven leaders with proven records,” Garcetti said in a statement. “They are the best at what they do- creating jobs, cutting red tape and expanding economic opportunity for all Angelenos. I am proud to welcome them both to my team.”
Bernard announced May 17 that she was leaving effective May 20 to become chief executive for the Los Angeles metropolitan area for Aecom, a local engineering and project management firm focused on infrastructure. She had served nearly three years as deputy mayor for economic development. One of her chief accomplishments was guiding the Garcetti administration’s policy on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020.