Mayor Brandon Johnson names new deputy mayor of community safety, CDOT commissioner

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday announced several personnel changes in his administration, including a new deputy director of community safety.

Emmanuel Andre, the deputy of policy for the Cook County Public Defender's office, will be Johnson's new deputy mayor for community safety, replacing Garien Gatewood, who was abruptly fired last month.

At the Public Defender's office, Andre helped expand the county's Restorative Justice Community Courts and co-founded Circles and Ciphers, a "hip-hop infused restorative justice organization led by and for young people impacted by violence."

His appointment comes less than a month after Johnson fired Gatewood, who has said he was not given an explanation for his firing, and was only told the Johnson administration is going to "go in a different direction."

"They said they wanted to move forward with different policies as opposed to the on-the-ground work that I do, on-the-ground work with community members, with people in those communities, and also like communities like this, right? From being on the ground in spaces like this where we've seen levels of violence. They said that wasn't the route that they wanted to go. They wanted to go in a different direction. That was the only explanation I got," Gatewood said.

In addition to Andre's appointment, Johnson's office also announced he is filling several other top positions, including a new commissioner for the Chicago Department of Transportation.

William Cheaks Jr., a former top deputy at both CDOT and the Department of Water Management, most recently has been an executive at civil engineering firm d'Escoto, Inc., where he served as a senior manager on the Bally's casino project, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Cheaks replaces acting CDOT commissioner Craig Turner, who has led the department on a temporary basis since former commissioner Tom Carney stepped down last July. His appointment must be confirmed by the City Council.

In addition, Johnson is tapping Max Budovitch as his new deputy mayor for business, economic, and neighborhood development, replacing Keny Merritt, who recently was appointed as commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Budovitch was previously Merritt's first deputy. Managing deputy Brian Tyler will be promoted to Budovitch's first deputy.

Militza Pagan will become Johnson's new deputy mayor for labor relations, replacing Bridget Early, who resigned last month. Pagan was Early's first deputy, and previously served as policy director for the City Council Committee on Workforce Development.

Marissa Arrez has been tapped as Johnson's deputy chief of external affairs, replacing Kennedy Bartley. Previously she served as first deputy of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights.

Allison Novelo has been named the mayor's press secretary, replacing Casio Mendoza, who left Johnson's office to become a deputy press secretary for newly elected New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.