The Mayor's Executive Staff

Chief Administrative Officer
Dr. Brenda G. Hatfield posses all of the characteristics necessary to create One New Orleans. As the Chief Administrative Officer, Dr. Hatfield manages all charter departments and the city budget as well as the Office of Emergency Preparedness, Information Technology, capital projects, hospitalization and a variety of programs and services within city government. Hatfield previously served the administration as Director of Intergovernmental Relations. 

Prior to joining the city, Dr. Hatfield served as Director of Governmental Affairs and Local programming for Cox Communications and managed the award-winning Cox 10 productions and programming department. Over 18 years she worked in the New Orleans Public School System as Director of Instructional Media, Technology and Communications. She also held management positions in the public library systems of New Orleans and Hamilton, Canada. Her career began as a Spanish teacher in New Orleans and Washington, D.C.

Hatfield holds a Ph.D. in Education from LSU, a master's degree in Library Science from the University of Toronto and a bachelor's degree in Spanish and Social Studies Education from University of New Orleans. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Politics, Loyola University. Additionally, she has studied at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Howard University, Xavier University and University of Southern Mississippi. Throughout her career, Dr. Hatfield has been recognized for academic achievement, leadership and community involvement. Full Biography, CAO Office

Director of Communications
One New Orleans should have a clear and concise message. In understanding that message Ceeon Quiett was appointed by Mayor C. Ray Nagin as Director of Communications. Over the past 15 years, Quiett has had a range of experiences that have enhanced her knowledge and skills that have underscored her versatility as a communications professional. Quiett has had a range of professional experiences that include Communications Director, Sales & Marketing Manager, Sr. Account Group Manager; Sr. Publicist and Facilitator Trainer.

Prior to joining Mayor Nagin’s staff, she served as the Communications Director for the Office of the Mayor, in Detroit Michigan. She was appointed to this position by Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick in April 2004. She served the Mayor as an advisor, cabinet member and manager of strategic communications. Technically, utilizing daily her organizational skills, writing skills and management skills that have been critical. However, in addition to these, the most important factor in this position is understanding the needs of the citizens and integrating (via strategic communications) those needs with the vision of the Mayor and the Administration. This position requires a combination of compassion, passion and professional skill. All previous experiences have prepared her for this role.

In summary, her professional course has been steady and committed to strategic communications. She believes that the power of communications in society is to educate, inform and provide people the information that they need to make necessary decisions for themselves and their families. She remains passionate about her profession and the ability that we have as practitioners to change people’s lives. Full Biography

Executive Counsel to the Mayor
In November 2006 Becca O’Brien joined the staff of the City of New Orleans as Executive Counsel to Mayor C. Ray Nagin, a cabinet position in which she serves as a senior policy advisor to the Mayor, providing staff continuity across a range of priority issues.

Ms. O’Brien comes most recently from the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, where in the aftermath of the hurricanes of 2005 she served as Director of Policy & Research. In this role, she led a policy team providing analysis and recommendations to the President’s Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, Donald Powell, and advised the Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator and White House policy makers on the most effective role for the federal government in supporting and furthering long-term recovery and rebuilding. She coordinated a Policy Leadership Team of senior administration officials from throughout federal agencies and departments, and served as liaison to state and city government officials on questions of federal policy and support.  Full Biography, Executive Counsel to the Mayor

Executive Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations
Mayor Nagin’s vision for One New Orleans requires an intergovernmental relations assistant that will develop a coalition between the city, state, and federal level. Kenya J.H. Smith is an individual that exemplifies these outstanding characteristics and attributes. As Executive Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations Kenya J.H. Smith exemplifies these outstanding qualities. Appointed in 2005 by Mayor Nagin, Smith is responsible for local, state, and federal governmental relations and lobbying efforts to carry out the Mayor’s legislative priorities. He also directs Mayor’s Office of Public Advocacy, volunteer services, grant monitoring, mayoral fellows and human rights Mr. Smith previously served as Executive Counsel to the Mayor spearheading and monitoring specific initiatives on behalf of the Mayor involving intergovernmental, economic development and community issues, and advises Mayor Nagin on contracting and other legal issues.

Prior to joining Mayor Nagin’s staff, Smith previously practiced law with Adams & Reese, LLP in the firm’s Transactions and Corporate Advisory Services Practice Group, representing local, regional, and national clients in various matters including general commercial, contracts, intellectual property, securities, employment, real estate, estate planning, and corporate governance. Smith also provided licensing and other regulatory representation before federal, state, and local authorities.

Smith is a cum laude graduate of Southern University of New Orleans, where he served as President of the Student Government Association and Chairman of The Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents. While earning his B.A. in Political Science, Mr. Smith interned at the office of U.S. Senator John Breaux. Mr. Smith received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin.  Full Biography

City Attorney
Penya Moses-Fields was appointed in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Mayor C. Ray Nagin as the City Attorney for the City of New Orleans in 2005 to protect the legal interest of the City and to provide legal advice to the Mayor, the City Council and all departments, agencies and boards of the City in accordance with New Orleans’ Home Rule Charter. Prior to her appointment, Moses-Fields served as Deputy City Attorney since February 2003, specifically, as the tax attorney assigned to the Department of Finance to litigate and to collect millions of dollars of revenue as apart of the Administrative Division of the City Attorney’s Office.

A graduate of Grambling State University with a degree in accounting, Moses-Fields received her Juris Doctorate of Law from Loyola University School of Law, along with a Master of Laws in Taxation from Villanova University School of Law.

She has 15 years of experience in accounting and 10 years in the practice of law, nearly 10 years of which have been in an advisory capacity overseeing administration, taxation and transactional issues for corporations, non-profit organizations and small firms.   Full Biography

Recovery Management  
The recovery of a major city devastated requires the expertise of an individual that personifies skills necessary in creating One New Orleans for its citizens. Dr. Edward J. Blakely was appointed to fulfill that vision. Prior to joining Mayor Nagin’s team, Dr. Blakely was the Professor of Urban Planning and Chair at the University of Sydney. He is also Chair of the Sydney Metropolitan Plan. He has been featured in several Australian periodical for his planning work and most recently in the Australian 2026 forecast for the nation. Prior to this post he was Dean of the Robert J. Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy, New School University. He was Dean and Lusk Professor of Planning and Development for the School of Urban Planning and Development at the University of Southern California (1994-1999). Previously he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California at Berkeley (1986-1994). In 2003, the University of California, Riverside dedicated a new Center for Suburban Sustainable Development in honor of Professor Blakely.

Dr. Blakely has held academic positions in teaching, research, academic administration, and economic development policy for more than thirty years. He is a leading scholar and practitioner in the fields of planning and local economic development. He has held senior positions in the private sector at Pacific Telephone Company (1960-65) and in government as a U.S. senior Foreign Service officer (1969-71).

Dr Blakely served as a policy advisor to the mayor of Oakland and advisor to the Los Angeles Public School District. He organized and led the Oakland response to the earthquake in1988 and The Oakland Fire in 1991 the largest urban fire in the 20th Century. He moved to New York just prior to the attacks at Ground Zero and became one of the leaders in the City recovery effort helping guide the citizen and community planning effort.

He received the 1990 San Francisco Foundation Award for improving community life in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Dr. Blakely is the author of eight books and more than 100 scholarly articles.    Full Biography