As she prepares to take Los Angeles in a new direction, L.A. Mayor-elect Karen Bass today announced she will appoint Chris Thompson to be her mayoral Chief of Staff and guide her transition starting Monday, December 5.
The appointment comes during an unprecedented three-week transition, during which Mayor-elect Bass is assembling a team to lead Los Angeles with a focus on urgently bringing unhoused Angelenos inside and making our city safer and more affordable for all.
“My number one priority is assembling a team that will be ready on day one to move our city forward. With his vast leadership experience and shared vision for our city, Chris is the right person to serve as my Chief of Staff and work with me to lead our agenda for Los Angeles’ future,” said Mayor-elect Bass. “Though this is an unprecedented three-week transition, make no mistake – change is coming and we will hit the ground running.”
“The people of this city spoke loud and clear when they delivered a decisive victory for Mayor-elect Bass,” said Thompson. “She has laid out a clear vision and plan to confront the crisis of homelessness and to make our city safer and more affordable for all. I look forward to helping her execute that vision.”
A seasoned leader in both the private and public sectors, Thompson will bring a fresh perspective and new direction to the mayor’s office and City Hall.
Thompson currently serves as Senior Vice President of Government Relations for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games working with local, state and federal officials and agencies to ensure a successful 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. He served as Chief of Staff to Senator Dianne Feinstein from 2008 until 2013, after first joining her office in 2003. He also served as an aide to Congressman Julian C. Dixon, who represented parts of Los Angeles. Thompson’s private sector experience includes serving as a Vice President for Southern California Edison/Edison International and serving on the Board of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition, he was appointed to the Board of the California Privacy Protection Agency by Governor Gavin Newsom and serves on the boards of the PBS SoCal/Public Media Group of Southern California, the California Science Center Foundation and on the Public Policy Institute of California’s Statewide Leadership Council. Thompson holds a BA in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara.
