Mayor Michelle Wu of Boston has named Clare Kelly as the new Chief of Staff, set to take office on November 17, according to a recent announcement. Kelly, who has been serving as Director of Intergovernmental Relations within Mayor Wu's administration since January 2022, plans to step into the role following Tiffany Chu's departure. Chu has been Chief of Staff since February 2022 and is credited with fostering a strong collaborative culture in the city government.
In a statement obtained by Boston.gov, Mayor Wu expressed her gratitude towards Chu, "I am so grateful to Chief Tiffany Chu for her leadership, hard work, and dedication over this term, helping to build a strong culture of collaboration and entrepreneurship in city government to address our most pressing issues." Wu also spoke highly of Kelly's competence and decades of experience, with strong intentions to continue building on the foundation laid to make Boston inclusive for all.
Clare Kelly brings to the position a profound history of leadership and advocacy that spans over two decades in Massachusetts government. Her past roles have included work for Governor Deval Patrick and leading the Massachusetts Democratic Party as its Executive Director. She also served as Executive Director of the Environmental League of MA Action Fund before joining Mayor Wu's team. "I'm honored to step into the role of Chief of Staff to continue supporting Mayor Michelle Wu’s vision to make Boston a home for everyone," Kelly told Boston.gov.
Under Chu's tenure, the city government made strides in areas such as climate action, transportation, arts, and public safety. She has been praised for introducing an entrepreneurial approach to city administration by debuting new city services systems and initiating Boston's multi-year zoning reform. Inside City Hall, she also established the City's first People Operations Cabinet focusing on professional development, and driving stronger hiring processes to ensure the city maintained a skilled workforce. "Serving as Chief of Staff has been the most rewarding challenge of my life – it’s been an honor and privilege to work alongside the Mayor, our team, and our residents to make city government more creative, connected, and compassionate," Chu said to Boston.gov. After passing the baton to Kelly, Chu is looking forward to taking a sabbatical to spend more time with her family.
Kelly will have the crucial task of managing both daily operations and the long-term strategic initiatives of the Mayor’s Office. Her immediate focus will be on fortifying relationships between various City departments, community members, and establishing strong ties with different government levels to enhance Boston's overall governance. With Kelly at the helm, there's a clear anticipation for the continuation of progressive change and effective policymaking in the city.
