Los Angeles Mayor-elect Karen Bass announced on Nov. 29 that she will appoint Chris Thompson as chief of staff to help guide her transition. Thompson will start the position on Monday, Dec. 5.

The appointment comes during an unprecedented three-week transition, during which Bass is assembling a team. She said she plans to focus on urgently bringing unhoused Angelenos indoors and making the city safer and more affordable.

“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,” Bass said. “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,” Thompson said. “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.”

An experienced leader in the private and public sectors, Thompson will bring a fresh perspective and new direction to the mayor’s office and City Hall, Bass said. 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 on the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. He served as chief of staff to Sen. Dianne Feinstein from 2008-13, after first joining her office in 2003. He also formerly served as an aide to U.S. Rep. 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. He was also appointed to the board of the California Privacy Protection Agency by Gov. Gavin Newsom.