Newton Mayor-elect Marc Laredo announced his executive office staff and a new Arts and Culture department for the city in an email Tuesday morning.
“This will be a team effort, as will everything else that we do,” Laredo told The Heights.
New Department
Laredo announced his intention to create a new Arts and Culture Department, to be led by Meryl Kessler, a lawyer and former executive director of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. Kessler has also led public arts initiatives, including the Newton Halloween Window Painting, the 28 Austin Street mural competition in Newtonville, and the Public Art Committee for Spark Newton.
“Arts and culture are vital to the well-being of a thriving Newton community, an important part of community building, and a vehicle for economic growth,” Laredo wrote.
New Roles
Laredo will add a chief of staff to his office, intended to serve as “liaison to federal, state, and local officials in Newton and neighboring communities,” per a Fig City News interview in October. His choice is Dana Hanson, who has been district director for Congressman Jake Auchincloss since he took office in 2021. Before that, Hanson was director of community engagement and inclusion for Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.
John Rice is Laredo’s pick for chief community services officer, a new role that will oversee community services, including Parks and Recreation, Library, and Health and Human Services.
Rice is a former city councilor for Ward 5 and the current executive director for the Hyde Community Center. He also has experience as part of a range of city agencies and nonprofit boards, including the Newton Historical Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and NewTV.
Laredo said these new roles will allow the executive office to better supervise city services.
“I think it’s really important that we have appropriate oversight and support in the executive office for the many city departments,” Laredo said. “This will allow us to do a better job of that, and I’m highly confident in the people I’ve selected for these new roles.”
A New Face
Josh Morse, who’s been Newton’s public buildings commissioner for 12 years, will be the city’s chief operating officer. Morse has overseen the city’s largest surge in construction since the baby boom, including projects like a new senior center, a new preschool building, two new elementary schools, and many more in the planning stages. Before his work in Newton, he served in the U.S. Navy for six years as an engineer on submarines.
Morse will replace Jonathan Yeo, who is retiring.
Returning Veterans
The following five members of the executive office will return to their existing roles in January.
Director of Community Communications Ellen Ishkanian
Director of Community Engagement & Inclusion Hattie Kerwin Derrick.
Citizens Assistance Officer and Boards & Commissions Coordinator Amalia Timbers
Executive Aide to the Mayor Jaclyn Norton.
Maureen Lemieux, chief financial officer, is retiring at the end of June but will serve until then.