Mayor Scott Announces Departure of DCA Nyagah-Nash

Crest of the City of Baltimore

Brandon M. Scott
Mayor,
Baltimore City
250 City Hall - Baltimore Maryland 21202
(410) 396-3835 - Fax: (410) 576-9425

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Simone C. Johnson Named as Interim DCA

BALTIMORE, MD. (Thursday, June 23, 2022) - Today, the Scott Administration announced the departure of Deputy City Administrator (DCA) Chichi Nyagah-Nash, effective June 24, 2022. Simone C. Johnson, Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer at the Baltimore City Health Department, will serve as Interim DCA while the City searches to permanently fill this critical position.

"We are truly saddened to lose Chichi because she has been such a dedicated and tireless servant to the residents of Baltimore," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "While we are sad to see her go, we also congratulate her on her new position and wish her all the best as she goes on to this next chapter. I am excited to welcome Simone to this new role and confident she has the experience and ability to hit the ground running."

Chichi Nyagah-Nash has faithfully served the City of Baltimore for a decade in various agencies and capacities. She began her tour of duty in the Department of General Services (DGS), where she rose to Deputy Division Chief before going to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as the Director of Special Projects. Next, she served as Assistant Deputy Director at the Department of Human Resources (DHR) before returning to DGS as Deputy Director, eventually becoming Director of the agency. Since February, Nyagah-Nash has served as DCA, directly supporting the City Administrator and overseeing a portfolio of critical agencies. She has been integral to the "Future of Work" initiative to reimagine the workplace, improve employee safety, and ensure equitable services are delivered to residents in this new post-pandemic era.

"Serving my adoptive City over the past ten years has been an absolute privilege," said Deputy City Administrator Chichi Nyagah-Nash. "I could never have imagined how profoundly this work would impact me personally and professionally. I view this City through a new lens and will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside and learned from some passionate, dedicated, and extremely hard-working individuals."

Simone C. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s in City & Regional Planning from Morgan State University. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff & Chief Operating Officer for the Baltimore City Health Department. In this role, she manages a broad executive portfolio, including overseeing the day-to-day management of the agency and driving positive workplace culture. Before that, Johnson served as a dedicated public servant with Maryland State Government for 25 years, allowing her to develop a highly diverse skill set. Over the course of her career in the public sector, she has served in various capacities of increasing responsibility. Johnson’s executive experience also includes serving as Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, in Maryland’s Office of the Governor, during the Glendening administration.

"I would like to thank Chichi for her service to Baltimore City residents, it has been wonderful to work alongside such a phenomenal executive, and I look forward to seeing her continued success in her next endeavor," said City Administrator Christopher Shorter. "I am also excited to welcome Simone to the Mayor’s Office team. Her long and distinguished public service career with the Maryland Transit, Maryland Aviation, and Maryland State Highway Administrations, as well as the Office of the Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development, signal her steadfast leadership and commitment to public service. I believe her background and experience will add great value to the Mayor’s Office leadership team."

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