Erin Bromaghim, a deputy mayor under Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and former aide to Mayor Eric Garcetti, will serve as the new chief of staff for the Fifth Council District, Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky announced Tuesday.
Yaroslavsky, who represents West Los Angeles neighborhoods, said Bromaghim will begin her new role on Jan. 6, replacing the retiring Gary Gero.
Bromaghim served for the U.S. Department of Defense for 13 years before beginning her work with the city under Garcetti in 2017. Most recently, she served as deputy mayor of international affairs for Bass, where she led preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Erin Bromaghim is one of the most effective and hardworking people at City Hall,” Yaroslavsky said in a statement. “Whether it’s tackling complex challenges or finding opportunities to bring people together, Erin gets it done.
“I’m thrilled she’ll be leading our team’s efforts to deliver for the residents of Council District 5, and I know she’s ready to hit the ground running,” she added.
Bromaghim said she’s excited to step into her new role.
“I want to thank Mayor Bass for the opportunity to serve on her senior staff and learn from her fearless leadership, and to express my gratitude for Gary for building such a talented and capable team,” Bromaghim said in a statement.
Gero has served as chief of staff since Yaroslavsky took office in 2022. Officials said he leaves behind several accomplishments such as a 15% reduction in street homelessness, securing funding for domestic violence survivors and refining the proposed Television City project in the Fairfax District — which is set to come before City Council sometime next year.
“It has been the privilege of my career to serve Councilwoman Yaroslavsky and the residents of the Fifth District,” Gero said in a statement. “It was also a completion of a circle for me personally as I started my career in the city 35 years ago.”
Yaroslavsky described Gero as a mentor, and one of the people “I trust most in the world.”
“Gary’s retirement is incredibly well-deserved, though he will be greatly missed by the entire Council District Five team,” she added.