Bradford Davy, Chief Strategy Officer-designee
Elise Hara Auvil, Chief Administrative Officer-designee
Mayor-Elect Justin Bibb’s administration continues to take shape as his transition team announced two new hires today. Bradford Davy, who heads the transition team and chaired the Bibb campaign, will become the Chief Strategy Officer at City Hall. Attorney and human resources professional Elise Hara Auvil will be Chief Administrative Officer.
Both are new positions created to function in tandem, replacing the traditional Chief of Staff role.
“Throughout the campaign, we created a vision for Cleveland that came directly from stakeholder input. We simply have to reimagine our organizational structure to build our reimagined City. With leaders focused on the long-range vision, and on the immediate needs, we can achieve more,” Bibb said in a statement released by the transition team announcing the appointments.
As Chief Strategy Officer and senior advisor to the Mayor, Davy will be responsible for advancing Bibb’s vision and strategic goals across all departments of the administration. He will provide counsel on a wide range of issues and serve as an accessible and visible ambassador from the mayor's office. Davy will also lead the team charged with moving forward promises made during the campaign, including initiatives to address racial equity, lead, the West Side Market, arts and culture and more.
A Cleveland native, Davy most recently served as the Director of Regional Engagement at The Fund for Our Economic Future where he worked with local and regional leaders on complex economic issues to inform policy decisions and translate concepts into practical solutions. He previously worked at Camcode Global in Warrensville Heights as an International Project Manager, and as a research and policy analyst for the Center for Community Solutions.
Davy holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Toledo and a Master’s of Science in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University.
As Chief Administrative Officer Hara Auvil will manage the day-to-day operations of the mayor’s office, including developing and managing the mayor’s office budget. She will also supervise the mayor’s staff, manage cabinet meetings and provide critical briefings to the mayor.
Hara Auvil’s background includes significant time working for government and non-profit entities. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University Law School, she worked for Cleveland Legal Aid during law school and began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Philadelphia.
Specializing in human resources and employment law, Hara Auvil has served as associate counsel for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, general counsel for Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network, and Director of Human Resources and employment counsel for Cuyahoga County. She most recently served the City of Westlake as the Human Resources Manager.
Today's announcement is the second made by the transition team regarding top-tier appointments for the new administration. Last Wednesday, Bibb's first four cabinet appointees were named [Law, Communications, Human Resources, and Government Affairs].
Bibb’s first day in office will be next Monday, January 3, 2022.
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