Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday that Connie Llanos, who has served as his press secretary since July 2015, is stepping down from her post at the end of the year.
George Kivork, who has served for the past three years as the mayor’s top federal liaison and advocate in Washington, D.C., will replace Llanos and serve alongside the mayor’s other current press secretary, Carl Marziali,
Llanos is joining Airbnb to serve as its Southern California deputy manager.
“Connie’s tenacity and strong commitment to transparency and clarity have been great assets to my communications team,” Garcetti said. “We will miss her dedication to sharing this administration’s policies and priorities, and I wish her continued success.”
During his tenure in Washington, Kivork helped secure Congressional legislation to revitalize the L.A. River, expand housing and services at the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center, support L.A.’s bid to host the 2024 Olympics, and fund construction of Metro transit lines, the mayor’s office said.
“George has been a very effective advocate for L.A.’s goals in Washington,” Garcetti said. “His understanding of complex federal matters and citywide issues makes him an extraordinary asset to my administration, and I look forward to him joining my team at City Hall.”
Kivorik helped lead rapid media response efforts at the National Security Network from 2005 to 2007, worked on the presidential campaigns of Gen. Wesley Clark and John Kerry, was on the transition team of Antonio Villaraigosa when he was first elected mayor in 2005, and has served as counsel to the assistant secretary of the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He has also practiced law at O’Melveny & Myers in Century City.
“It has been an honor to serve as the voice for L.A. in D.C., and I’m excited to return home as press secretary for Mayor Garcetti,” said Kivork, who starts his new position on Jan. 3.
Mayor Garcetti is spearheading progressive change to ensure Los Angeles remains a place of opportunity for all — from championing investments to better serve homeless Angelenos, immigrants and our young people, to leading America’s largest local infrastructure investment effort,” Llanos said. “It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of this incredible team.”
—City News Service