News Release
Staff Changes in Mayor’s Office
(Halifax, NS. February 5, 2013) Two members of Mayor Mike Savage’s initial transition team will be leaving the Mayor’s office in the coming weeks.
Principal Advisor Cheryl Stewart and Communications Strategist Donna McCready will depart by early March. Both have extended their original contracts to work with their successors for a few weeks to ensure a smooth transition.
Shaune MacKinlay, currently Manager of Public Affairs with HRM, will become Principal Advisor, with responsibility for communications strategy in the Mayor’s office. Joshua Bates, currently Executive Assistant to provincial Minister of Health and Wellness David Wilson, will be Policy Advisor to the Mayor.
“Cheryl and Donna have done an amazing job during my transition. Their wisdom, experience, and strategic guidance have been enormously valuable over the past few months. I am very grateful to both of them,” Mayor Savage said. “I’m excited by the strengths and knowledge of municipal government that Shaune and Josh bring to the office as we embark on important initiatives with Council and the citizens of Halifax.”
Prior to the public affairs post at HRM, Ms MacKinlay worked with the Halifax Regional School Board and as a journalist with the Halifax Daily News.
Joshua Bates returned to Nova Scotia in 2010, following four years as a policy advisor with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa. He worked as Executive Assistant to provincial Minister of Finance, Graham Steele prior to taking on his role with the Minister of Health and Wellness.
Ms Stewart is considering opportunities at other levels of government or in the private sector. Ms McCready will return to her work as an independent communications consultant.
Josh Bragg will remain as Special Assistant to the Mayor.
HRM Corporate Communications will immediately begin to recruit for a new Manager of Public Affairs.
-30-
For information contact:
Donna McCready
Office of the Mayor
902.490.2353
Cell. 717.0863
mccread@halifax.ca
