Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced two new key appointments to her leadership team, including a new Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure and Services.  The newest members of the administration’s senior team will oversee critical aspects of the city government, including the newly created Office of Public Safety, as well as the coordination of dozens of infrastructure and service-oriented agencies to ensure safe and efficient operations and the delivery of services to every neighborhood.

“The newest members of our team collectively bring decades of experience, leadership and vision to ensuring every Chicagoan has access to resources and services which prioritize their safety and the needs of their communities,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Together, they will carry out a coordinated strategy across public safety and public services that will maximize our investments and create safer, stronger and more prosperous communities citywide.” 

Susan Lee, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety

Susan Lee brings more than 20 years of experience in leading public safety and community engagement initiatives across the country. As the Senior Director of Safe Chicago Network at Chicago CRED, Lee oversaw direct interventions for communities and individuals at the highest risk of violence in multiple Chicago communities and supports citywide coordination towards reducing shootings and homicides. 

In addition, Lee is the co-author of the 2007 “A Call to Action: A Case for a Comprehensive Solution to LA’s Gang Violence Epidemic,” a comprehensive report that became the blueprint for the City of Los Angeles taking a new approach to violence. In the implementation of the strategy, she helped to establish a safety infrastructure in the communities most impacted by violence and worked closely with the Los Angeles Police Department to bring new and innovative ways to transform community-police relations.

In the new Mayor’s Office of Public Safety, Lee will oversee a team focused on developing a robust policy agenda that advocates for reducing crime in every neighborhood, starting with Chicago’s most vulnerable communities and citizens.  The Mayor’s Office of Public Safety will focus on reducing violent crimes, including gang and gun-related violence — while also ensuring that these efforts are paired with investments in social service supports, including access to mental health resources and other services.

To ensure the Office’s efforts are grounded in evidence-based practices, the Mayor’s Office will work with local organizations including Chicago CRED, the University of Chicago Crime Lab, and Civic Consulting Alliance to spearhead new initiatives in violence reduction programming over the summer. 

Susan Lee holds a BS in Economics from the University of California Berkeley as well as a JD from Boalt Hall, School of Law, UC Berkeley.

Anne Sheahan, Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure and Services 

Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Anne Sheahan served in various capacities within the City of Chicago, including Managing Deputy Director of the Office of Emergency Management & Communications, where she oversaw Chicago’s 911 and 311 services to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of public safety resources.  

Sheahan’s experience also includes Chief of Staff for the Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation, and Director of Public Affairs of the City of Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services. Prior to being appointed Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure and Services, Sheahan served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer, where she oversaw the implementation of strategic mayoral initiatives and policy priorities that support neighborhood sustainability and growth.

As Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure & Services, Sheahan will support the Mayor in ensuring that city government is focused on maintaining, strengthening, improving and investing in the built and natural infrastructure environment and providing high-quality, equitable and fair government services. The Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure & Services will work to calibrate the Mayor’s infrastructure goals through the alignment of agency budgets, key stakeholder engagement and timely implementation of programs and operations while assessing innovative solutions to provide faster and more reliable government services to residents, non-residents and businesses.

Anne Sheahan holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Norbert College and a Master of Arts from Loyola University.

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