Mayor Walsh announces Cabinet-level Chief of Civic Engagement

Today, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that he will appoint Jerome Smith, current Director of the Office of Neighborhood Services, as his Chief of Civic Engagement for the City of Boston. The newly-created position is reflective of Mayor Walsh’s goals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of City services, as well as create opportunities for Boston residents to participate with local government. Current Deputy Director Daniel R. Manning will assume the role of Chief of Staff for the Civic Engagement cabinet.

“Jerome joined our administration in May, and in his role within Neighborhood Services, he has shown great leadership and creative thought in how we approach serving the public,” said Mayor Walsh. “Both Jerome and Dan have a broad understanding of how we impact every aspect of the lives of our residents. We have a great opportunity here to apply our innovation philosophy to the way we engage residents, and I’m excited to execute our shared vision.”

“One of the strongest messages from the Walsh administration has been that Boston is a City of neighborhoods, with each neighborhood presenting unique challenges and powerful assets to the table,” said Smith. “Supporting greater involvement in our communities will only serve to strengthen the fabric of Boston. I’m grateful to Mayor Walsh for this opportunity.”

As Chief of Civic Engagement, Smith will advise the Mayor on efforts to preserve and enhance the quality of services delivered to residents, including overseeing Mayor Walsh’s Civic Academies and NEW (Neighborhood Engagement Walks) Boston, developing neighborhood partnerships, resolving problems related to code enforcement, managing the Mayor’s 24-hour Constituent Service Hotline and Neighborhood Coordinators, and spearheading Mayor Walsh’s Problem Properties Task Force. 

In his position as Director of the Office of Neighborhood Services, Smith managed the Neighborhood Coordinators, helping to facilitate the delivery of services in collaboration with City departments. Prior to joining the Walsh Administration, Smith served as Chief of Staff to Senate President Therese Murray, responsible for all aspects of management within the Massachusetts Senate. Smith previously served as a neighborhood liaison to the LBGT Community under the office of former Mayor Thomas M. Menino, and as the Chief of Staff for former City Councilor Michael P. Ross.