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Politics

S.D Mayor's Chief Of Staff Resigns

Mayor Jerry Sanders is losing his right-hand woman. The mayor’s chief of staff, Kris Michell, has been named president of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. The group advocates for downtown businesses and development projects.

In a statement Sanders said Michell played a major role in everything his administration has worked on, from attacking the city’s structural budget deficit to pension reform. The online news organization Voice of San Diego profiled Michell earlier this year.

Now she will play a major role in raising the profile of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Board Chair Scott Maloni said the organization is hopeful Michell’s high profile will increase Partnership influence throughout the region.

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“There are a lot of business organizations, or non-profit organizations that are headquartered downtown. But there’s only one that focuses on downtown exclusively and that’s the Partnership. And I think sometimes the Partnership gets lost in the mix,” he said.

Michell won’t be at a loss for work when she officially starts her job next February.

The Partnership has a list of projects it would like to accomplish, including building a new civic center, expanding the Convention Center, revitalizing the C Street corridor and finishing the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan. Maloni said Michell is the person to get those projects done.

“She really has extensive experience in San Diego with real estate, coalition building and shaping public policy,” he said.

Michell will stay on at the Mayor’s office until Jan. 14, long enough to get through the mayor’s annual State of the City address.

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Julie Dubick will replace Michell as the mayor’s Chief of Staff. She previously served as the mayor’s deputy chief of staff and policy director.