Mayor Steinberg creates new position focused on racial equity; names new chief of staff
Sacramento (May 9, 2022) Mayor Darrell Steinberg Monday announced staffing changes in his office, including the assignment of a senior staff member to work full-time on furthering racial equity in City government and decision making.
Effective May 16, current Chief of Staff Kelly Fong Rivas will step into the newly created position of Racial Equity Advisor to the Mayor. Mary Lynne Vellinga, the existing communications director, will become Chief of Staff; and Deputy Communications Director Andrew Kehoe will become communications director.
Kelly Fong Rivas
“Having Kelly work on racial equity full time will speed our City’s ongoing effort to put meaningful engagement and equity at the heart of all of our spending and policy decisions,” Mayor Steinberg said.
Fong Rivas has already done considerable work on this issue and has served as staff to the recently formed Racial Equity Committee, which is co-chaired by Mayor Steinberg and Councilmember Mai Vang. Fong Rivas will focus on developing a municipal reparations initiative and supporting the City’s work over the coming years on the ongoing SCORE initiative (Sacramento Centered On Racial Equity).
Mary Lynne Vellinga
She will continue her responsibilities in public health and safety in support of the city’s alternative 911 response, crisis management and the continuation and expansion of the Substance Use Respite and Engagement Center (SURE Center).
Mary Lynne Vellinga, who joined the Mayor’s Office in 2018, will become chief of staff.
Vellinga has extensive management experience and familiarity with local government. Before joining the mayor’s office, she was Senior Editor for Local News at The Sacramento Bee.
Andrew Kehoe
Andrew Kehoe will be promoted from Deputy Director of Communications to Communications Director. Before embarking on a career in public services, Kehoe spent eight years in branding, marketing and event planning for a Fortune 500 company. Kehoe has provided technical support and production services during the pandemic to other Council offices, departments and community groups. With Vellinga, he runs the Engagesac.org blog.
“My office is entering the next phase of our service with new roles, new faces and plenty of optimism and energy about the future of Sacramento,” Mayor Steinberg said in a memo to his Council and city management colleagues.
To learn more about all the members of Mayor Steinberg’s staff and their responsibilities, please visit engagesac.org/about-us
