LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today announced Carolyn Webb de Macias will serve as her new Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor. In this role, Webb de Macias will help Mayor Bass deliver on her commitment to move Los Angeles in a new direction by housing more people faster and making Los Angeles safer and more livable for all.
“I’ve known Carolyn for years and I know Los Angeles has benefitted from her work for even longer than that,” said Mayor Bass. “Carolyn is thoughtful, skilled, dedicated and the right person for the job. I’m grateful she has agreed to join our team as we continue our work to move Los Angeles forward.”
Webb de Macias has spent decades working to improve the lives of Angelenos through her work in education, equity and social justice. She worked as Chief of Staff in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in the U.S. Department of Education as an appointee of President Barack Obama. Webb de Macias also served the University of Southern California as Vice President for External Relations and she holds the lifetime title of Vice President Emerita from the University of Southern California. Webb de Macias is a seasoned veteran of City Hall, having served as a Senior Advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and then-City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas during his first term.
“I am thrilled to work with Mayor Bass in executing her vision of improving the quality of life for all Angelenos with a sharp focus on solving the most tenacious problems that confront us,” said Webb de Macias. “She is a servant leader who has risen through determined work to this executive office fully prepared to transform Los Angeles.”
Bass thanked outgoing Chief of Staff Chris Thompson for his exemplary service to the people of Los Angeles. Thompson began with Mayor Bass last year in November and led the effort to set up the Bass administration under a tight three-week transition. Having completed staffing the office and establishing a set direction, Thompson will provide Webb de Macias with support before returning to the private sector.
During his time, he helped set new priorities in City Hall – prioritizing confronting the homelessness crisis and making Los Angeles more livable for all. Thompson also played a leading role in helping the Mayor work with SEIU 99 and Superintendent Carvalho to resolve the school strike that led to LAUSD school closures last Spring. Prior to joining the Bass administration, Thompson served as head of Government Affairs for LA 2028 and previously served as Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Chief of Staff.
“I want to thank Chris for his diligence in building a first-class team. Our plan was always for him to get things up and running before returning to the private sector and again, I want to thank him for his service to this city.”