“Effective public service starts with an experienced staff, and I’m so excited to announce these promotions and hires which will make for even better service to the residents of Council District Four,” Councilmember Ryu said in a statement announcing the staff changes.
There’s no particular reason for the timing of the changes, said Estevan Montemayor, Ryu’s Director of Communications whose role has been broadened to also cover stakeholder outreach and strategic planning. Though not mentioned in this announcement, Chief of Staff Sarah Dusseault, Deputy Chief of Staff Adeena Bleich and Director of Policy and Legislation Nicholas Greif continue in their current positions.
New staff include:
Rachel Fox, who joins the team from the Center for Nonprofit Management, will be the new Field Deputy serving Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Central Hollywood.
Milene Minassians, a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, she served as a JusticeCorps member with the Los Angeles Superior Court, and will now serve the Sherman Oaks area as a Case Manager.
Rob Fisher, a native Angeleno who previously worked as a litigator and community organizer in local and national campaigns, will serve the Greater Wilshire and Mid-City West neighborhoods as a Field Deputy.
Hank Kaplan, who has been an intern with the Council District Four team, will now serve as a Council Aide at the City Hall office.
Mark Pampanin, a former campaign aide and journalist, has joined Ryu’s office as a Communications Deputy.
Daniel Eyal, previously an intern in the Obama White House, has joined the team as a Neighborhood Advocate, serving Sherman Oaks.
Staffing changes include:
Nikki Ezhari, formerly the field deputy for Sherman Oaks, is now Councilmember Ryu’s District Director.
Estevan Montemayor, previously the office Communications Director, is now the Director of Communications and External Affairs, which will cover public relations, stakeholder outreach, and strategic planning.
Catherine Landers, who served as a Senior Field Deputy in the Greater Wilshire and Mid-City neighborhoods, will now serve as Deputy Director of Special Projects, including issues of park access, homelessness initiatives and community development.
Daniel Park, a Neighborhood Advocate in the Mid-Wilshire area, will now serve as a Community Affairs Coordinator focused on Asian-American Pacific Islander communities. He will work with Estevan Montemayor on external affairs projects.
Alice Roth, a Field Deputy, will serve the Toluca Lake and Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhoods, as well as Hollywood Hills West.
Shannon Prior, a Field Deputy for the Beachwood, The Oaks and The Dell neighborhoods, will be working part-time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as she pursues a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Steven Bautista, a Council Aide, has now become a Case Manager serving the Council District Four Field Team.
As previously announced, Julia Duncan has left her post as Planning Deputy in Council District Four to serve the City of Los Angeles as a Project Planner with the Planning Department. Her last day in Council District Four was February 16. The office of Councilmember Ryu is actively seeking a new Planning Deputy. Interested applicants should email Policy Director Nicholas Greif at [email protected].
Renee Weitzer, a planning expert who has previously served Council District Four and has over 36 years of service to the City of Los Angeles, will return as a Senior Advisor for Land Use & Development.
The staffing changes are effective immediately. More information on Councilmember Ryu’s staff can be found here.
