As he prepares for his second term as mayor, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon today announced that Phoenix Deputy City Manager Ruth Osuna will serve as his chief of staff.
“I am delighted that Ruth has agreed to join and lead our staff,” Gordon said. “She has an extensive background in housing -- which will be an area of our intense focus over the next four years.”
Before joining the City Manager’s Office last May, Osuna served as program director for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Phoenix, an organization dedicated to helping nonprofit community development corporations transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy communities of choice and opportunity. Before that, she held high-level positions in local government and in the housing and banking industries.
Currently, Ed Zuercher and Deb Gullett are serving as chiefs of staff. Both are completing their third year of service with the mayor.
Historically, a series of Phoenix deputy city managers and department heads have committed to one-year stints as chief of staff to various mayors. These include Jack Tevlin, Ray Bladine, George Britton, Sheryl Sculley, Andrea Tevlin and Dave Krietor. While many ended up extending their stay by a year or two, they all returned to the City Manager’s Office.
Zuercher will return to the City Manager’s Office, while Gullett plans to teach and head up her own consulting firm. Gullett will be leaving city government at the end of this month, while Zuercher and Osuna will begin their new assignments on Nov. 26.
“I can’t say enough about the exceptional dedication and talent both Deb and Ed bring to work every day,” Gordon said. “Even as they accept new challenges in their careers, we will all continue to benefit from their service, and I will continue to benefit from their advice and friendship.”
In addition to the Osuna announcement, Gordon also announced the promotion of two current staffers. Deputy Chief of Staff Bill Scheel will become senior deputy chief of staff, while Senior Assistant to the Mayor Marchelle Franklin will become deputy chief of staff.
