Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson announces senior staff team

SEATTLE - Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced her senior staff team on Tuesday, as she prepares to take office one month from now.

Wilson's team features community organizers and coalition leaders, much like the 60-member transition team she brought together in November.

"This is a team that’s ready to get to work and make Seattle a great place to live, work, and raise a family," said Wilson. "They bring deep community ties, exceptional issue expertise, and most important of all: a track record of getting things done."

Who is on Katie Wilson's staff?

What we know:

Wilson announced seven senior staff members, one of whom she is carrying over from the transition team.

Kate Brunette Kreuzer will be Wilson's Chief of Staff. Kreuzer is a community organizer and political strategist with a career in housing affordability, climate change and labor rights campaigns. Most recently, Kreuzer was the director of external affairs at Futurewise, a land use advocacy nonprofit, and also previously served as the treasurer for Wilson's Transit Riders Union from 2018–2022.

Jen Chan was named Director of Departments, where she will supervise all department directors. Chan has worked in city government for 25 years, including Chief of Staff at Seattle City Light, Assistant Department Director and Assistant Finance Director at the Department of Finance & Administrative Services, interim Deputy Superintendent at the Parks & Recreation Department, Senior Operations Manager in the Mayor’s Office, and Policy & Fiscal Advisor in the Mayor’s Executive Office. Chan most recently served as Deputy Executive Director of Seattle Housing Authority.

Seferiana Day Hasegawa was named Director of Communications. Hasegawa is a political communications strategist, and previously led communications at Seattle's Office of Planning and Community Development. Hasegawa has a long career in community organization and worked on campaigns for Tim Burgess, Elizabeth Warren, Pramila Jayapal, as well as early organizing for Working Washington and the Fight for $15.

Alex Gallo-Brown was named Director of Community Relations. Gallo-Brown is a Seattle native and managed Wilson's mayoral campaign. Before that, he was the founding Director of the Essential Workers Organizing Academy at UFCW 3000.

Aly Pennucci was named Director of the City Budget Office, and has more than 17 years in public policy and budgeting. She is currently the Deputy Executive for Whatcom County and previously served as Deputy Director for Seattle's Council Central Staff.

Brian Surratt was named Deputy Mayor, after co-chairing the transition team for the Wilson campaign. Brian Surratt is the president and CEO of Greater Seattle Partners, an organization focused on business, international trade and local industries. Before that, Surratt directed Seattle's Office of Economic Development. In that time, he helped negotiate the city's $1.2 billion agreement to build Climate Pledge Arena. He also served in the Mayor's Office of Policy and Innovation, where he was the policy lead to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Nicole Vallestero Soper was named Director of Policy and Innovation. Soper has 15 years in policy work previously serving as Policy Director at Puget Sound Sage, where she helped negotiate a $15 minimum wage in SeaTac—the first of its kind in the nation—and also served on the Income Inequality Advisory Committee which established Seattle's own minimum wage laws. Soper was also the founding director of the Fair Work Center, founding board member of Front and Centered, and founding co-facilitator of Washington Community Alliance.

What's next:

Wilson will be officially sworn in as Seattle's next mayor on Jan. 4, 2026.

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