Wilson shakes up staff amid chilly Seattle City Council relations

Amid chilly relations between the mayor's office and Seattle City Council, Mayor Katie Wilson is triggering her first significant staff shake-up since taking office nearly six months ago.

Wilson is moving her chief of staff and longtime friend, Kate Brunette Kreuzer, to a new "special projects" role, while elevating Esther Handy, a City Hall veteran, to take over as interim chief of staff.

At the same time, Wilson is consolidating council relations under her deputy mayor, Brian Surratt, a figure who is well-known and largely liked among council members.

The moves come after months of building tension between the mayor's office and council, which hit a peak last week during deliberations over Wilson's shelter expansion proposals.

Council members were already frustrated that the mayor had not sought out sponsors for her bills, nor been more specific in her plans for rolling out the shelter. But they became outwardly angry at Wilson's staff over what members viewed as pressure to pull or delay amendments. The view among members was that Wilson's office was not respecting the separation of powers in City Hall.

Council President Joy Hollingsworth publicly criticized the mayor's office over its communications. Publicola previously reported on the tensions.

"We've already accomplished some big things, but part of this early phase has been about learning what works well and what may need to change in order to continue to effectively move forward on our key priorities," Wilson said in a message to staff Thursday.

Wilson has prioritized an effort to build 4,000 new shelter beds in her first term. It's a far more ambitious goal than any set before her and will require significant buy-in and participation from council members, particularly when it comes to funding the push.

She's already asked for and received $8 million from the council, on top of $9 million her office identified that did not require council approval. But building and operating 4,000 beds will require significantly more money than that, at a time when the city is already staring down a major budget hole. And while the mayor can propose budgets, the council has final say.

For Wilson, switching from Brunette Kreuzer to Handy means tapping someone with deep experience with the Seattle City Council. Handy worked for former Councilmember Mike O'Brien, before being elevated to run the council's central staff, a key role that requires a strong understanding of both policy and process.

Brunette Kreuzer, on the other hand, came from a more political and advocacy background, having worked at the pro-urbanist organization Futurewise before moving to City Hall. She was also previously the treasurer of the Transit Riders Union, the progressive advocacy organization founded by Wilson.

Surratt worked in city government for more than 10 years, beginning in the early 2000s into the mid-2010s. His hiring was surprising as he's seen as part of a more mainstream political establishment that Wilson did not fit into. But he's assumed a significant portfolio of work under her leadership and is often the face of her office when she's not available.

Additionally, Wilson announced two senior members of her staff, Jen Chan and Edie Gillis, will be returning to their previous jobs. Both departures were preplanned for six months into Wilson's term.

"While I understand change can be unsettling, I want to assure all of you that it is common for a new administration to refine its internal staffing roles," Wilson wrote. "Being open to new ideas coupled with an honest assessment of what might need adjustment is key to good governance."

Staff turnover in mayor's offices is common, particularly in the first year as the office works out its processes and differing ideological views compete for the mayor's ear.

Former Mayor Ed Murray saw half of his staff walk out the door in his first 18 months.

Former Mayor Bruce Harrell hired his niece, Monisha Harrell, to be his senior deputy mayor before she left a year and a half into his term. She later criticized the office and her uncle in an interview with KUOW.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 4:55 PM.