BUFFALO — Mayor-Elect Sean Ryan today announced plans for a reorganization of the City of Buffalo’s leadership structure that will improve operational efficiency while saving taxpayer dollars. The changes include the appointment of four deputy mayors—Thomas Baines, Eugenio Russi, Benjamin Swanekamp, and Maria Whyte—who bring nearly 80 years of combined government and organizational leadership experience to City Hall.
“We’re building a City government that will work nimbly and collaboratively to solve problems quickly and deliver the first-rate services that the people of Buffalo deserve,” Ryan said. “Our incoming deputy mayors are deeply respected local leaders with diverse strengths. Their experience will be integral to delivering the capable, responsive leadership needed to help every department in City Hall operate to its highest potential.”
In a change from previous administrations, each deputy mayor will oversee several City departments, consolidating high-level decision making and reducing time-consuming administrative burdens on Buffalo’s commissioners so they may focus more fully on the day-to-day management of their departments. The new leadership structure will produce long-term savings by reallocating funding from several appointed positions that will be eliminated in the reorganization.
Ryan also announced the appointment of Gabrielle Harrington as Chief of Staff. Harrington currently serves as Ryan’s Deputy Chief of Staff in the New York State Senate and previously worked as his Policy Advisor and Director of Community Affairs. Her prior experience includes serving as Director of Special Projects in Ryan’s Assembly office and as Staff Development and Public Policy Coordinator for Catholic Charities of Buffalo. Harrington holds a B.S. in Political Science from Allegheny College and a Master’s in Public Administration and Policy from American University.
About the Deputy Mayors
Thomas E. Baines, Esq., the current Deputy Commissioner of Planning & Economic Development for Erie County and founder of Baines Law, PLLC, brings more than a decade of experience in housing, development, and public-sector leadership to City Hall. His prior roles include Executive Director of the Batavia Housing Authority and Director of Administration and Finance for the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. An attorney admitted to the New York State Bar in 2020, Baines holds a B.A. from SUNY Oneonta, an M.B.A. from Medaille University, and a J.D. from Albany Law School. Baines will oversee: Office of Strategic Planning, Permit & Inspection Services
Eugenio Russi brings decades of government and community leadership to the administration. He is the former Executive Director of Hispanos Unidos de Buffalo and served nearly 30 years as a Regional Director for the New York State Division of Parole. Russi is a Vietnam-era U.S. Air Force veteran and has been a long-standing leader in advancing services for Buffalo’s Hispanic community. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for ECMC. Russi holds a B.S. in Management from D’Youville College. Russi will oversee: Buffalo Fire Department, Buffalo Police Department
Benjamin Swanekamp, currently Chief of Staff to the Erie County Executive and a member of both the New York State and the Erie County Democratic Committee’s Executive Committees, brings extensive experience in municipal management, budgeting, and intergovernmental affairs. He previously served as Erie County’s Deputy Budget Director—overseeing the capital budget, internal and external audits, and administration of federal pandemic-relief funds—and as Policy Director for Erie County. Swanekamp has experience in emergency management, serving in a senior role at the County’s Emergency Operations Center, coordinating the county’s winter storm response, and having been trained in FEMA’s Incident Command System. He also served as an analyst for the New York State Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for ECMC. Swanekamp holds a B.A. in Political Science and Government from Allegheny College. Swanekamp will oversee: Administration and Finance, Assessment and Taxation, Management Information Systems, Public Works and Parks, Parking Enforcement
Maria Whyte, currently Chief Community Impact Officer and Chief of Staff at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, brings a distinguished record of public-service and executive leadership. At the Community Foundation she has supported grantees in the delivery of vital community services and increased civic engagement. She previously served as Erie County’s Deputy County Executive, advancing major economic development initiatives including the redevelopment of the former Bethlehem Steel site and supporting critical community services, like childcare and workforce development, during the pandemic. Before beginning her career in government with three terms as the Majority Leader at the Erie County Legislature, Whyte served as the Executive Director of the Coalition for Economic Justice, where she organized communities to support workers’ rights. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and Anthropology from Syracuse University and a Certificate in Equitable Community Change from Cornell University. Whyte will oversee: Citizen Services, Community Services, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Law