Mayor Appoints Deputy Mayor, Interim Economic Development Manager

LOS ANGELES — On July 2, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced his choice for deputy mayor of city services.

Garcetti chose 50-year-old Doane Liu, most recent chief of staff to Councilman Joe Buscaino. Jenny Chavez, Buscaino’s policy director is his chief of staff. Garcetti only plans to have four deputy mayors, unlike Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s 12.

As deputy manager Liu will oversee the Department of Water and Power, the Department of Public Social Services, the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Department of Transportation and Public Works.

He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1985.

He later worked as the director of community affairs, in 1992, at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and entered politics in 1995 as district director for Rep. Jane Harman, after sever years in the banking industry.

Liu had served as deputy mayor under James K. Hahn from 2001 to 2005.

Garcetti also named his former colleague on the Los Angeles City Council Jan Perry as his interim general manager of the Economic Development Department.

In her 12-year tenure in office, she worked toward real estate development and construction in downtown and south Los Angeles.

Perry, who unsuccessfully ran against Garcetti and later endorsed him for mayor, will temporarily oversee the new business and development department until a permanent general manager is found.

In addition, Garcetti appointed Rich Llewellyn as counsel to the mayor. Llewellyn was chief of staff to Councilman Paul Koretz and special council to former District Attorney Gil Garcetti, Eric Garcetti’s father.

Stephen Cheung, an aide to former Mayor Villaraigosa, will serve as director of international trade, taking responsibility for the Harbor and airport.

Also staying, at least temporarily, is Eileen Decker, Villaraigosa’s deputy mayor for public safety. Matt Szabo, Villaraigosa’s deputy chief of staff, will stay on in an interim capacity.

Heather Repenning, who worked on Garcetti’s political campaign for mayor, was named director of external affairs.

He named Kelli Bernard, who used to work as his director of planning for his council office and now works at the DWP, interim chief of economic development. She previously worked as Garcetti’s director of planning in his council office.

Garcetti named Borja Leon director of transportation. Martha Preciado is staying in the same role as she held under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, director of scheduling.