Dec 2, 2025 - Politics
Here's who will lead New Orleans under Mayor Helena Moreno
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Mayor-elect Helena Moreno's newly announced leadership team will be filled out by a roster of deputy mayors.
Why it matters: The roles, Moreno said Tuesday, will improve coordination and define for New Orleanians whom to contact when addressing specific issues once she's in office.
Catch up quick: The deputy mayor system was last used under Mayor Mitch Landrieu, but current Mayor LaToya Cantrell never adopted the strategy.
Moreno's leadership team will include:
- Joe Giarrusso as first deputy mayor and chief administrative officer. The outgoing city councilman had already lined up and announced plans to enter private practice after stepping away from his District A duties, but Moreno says she persuaded him not to go too far. The new role will have Giarrusso leading day-to-day city department management.
- Kevin Ferguson as deputy mayor and Moreno's chief of staff. Ferguson currently works at New Orleans & Co. as vice president of external affairs and membership. He's been involved in government relations and advocacy, like addressing homelessness.
- Michael Harrison as deputy mayor of public safety. The former New Orleans Police Department chief, who left the department in 2019 to lead the Baltimore police, has spent the last several years as a consultant. His new role will include overseeing the NOPD, New Orleans Fire Department and the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
- Renee Lapeyrolerie as deputy mayor for external affairs. Lapeyrolerie successfully led Moreno's mayoral campaign and previously served as chief of staff at the Sewerage and Water Board. She'll serve as Moreno's chief representative to the public, including liaising with residents, civic institutions and businesses.
- Jennifer Avegno as deputy mayor of health and human services. The role will expand Avegno's current reach as the health department director when Moreno reshuffles city departments to bring the health department, youth and families programs, EMS, violence prevention and homelessness under Avegno's purview.
- Charline K. Gipson as city attorney. Gibson currently works with Baker Donelson focusing on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracting, corporate governance and outside general counsel services in diverse industries.
What's next: Moreno's leadership team will step into their new roles when she does in January, but some of their work is already underway, they said Tuesday.
- Giarrusso, for example, is already leading what he says will be monthly check-ins with Harrison.
- That cadence will continue with other departments, too. "You are going to have to talk about where you are in your process, in your budget, with your overtime, and what your deliverables are," Giarrusso said of those meetings.