Politics & Government

Garcetti Chooses Economic Deputy

The new deputy mayor of economic development has been doing the job on an interim basis.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday chose a City Hall veteran to manage his economy-boosting and job creation initiatives.

Kelli Bernard will be Garcetti's deputy mayor of economic development, one of four major spots in the mayor's administration. She will be paid an annual salary of $189,000.

Bernard, who was already doing the job on an interim basis, beat out "CEOs, leading investors and entrepreneurs, and people with deep experience in city, state, and federal government" in a nationwide search, according to Garcetti.

Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Kelli brings a rare mix of City Hall experience, private sector knowledge and a strategic vision for the role that the city government should play in building a prosperous Los Angeles," the mayor wrote in an email to his staff.

Garcetti added that other candidates for the position may be asked to fill other roles in his administration.

Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bernard previously led the economic development division at the Department of Water and Power. She also helped shape economic issues in Garcetti's Hollywood-area council office.

She worked in former Mayor Richard Riordan's office, and for private organizations such as Genesis LA, Lee Andrews Group and the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation,

Bernard will be expected to advise the mayor on economic strategy and research, according to a recruitment brochure given to job candidates.

One of the areas she will be working on is "creating incentives for growing/attracting industries (e.g. biotech) to expand operations in L.A., with the ultimate goal of creating industry clusters with well-sustaining job creation."

She will oversee economic development at the Port of Los Angeles and city-owned airports and respond to business needs, as well as work with the tourism board, convention center and the newly formed Economic and Workforce Development Department, which replaced the defunct Community Redevelopment Agency.

She will also be asked to focus on "education reform," programs focused on children and job training. She oversees the city housing department, housing authority and the Homeless Services Authority.

"I'm excited to join Mayor Garcetti's administration permanently and continue the work I've started," Bernard said. "Now's the time for us to build on the momentum we have created in our first four months to put more Angelenos back to work and help businesses thrive in our city."

City News Service


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here