Nithya Raman eyes City Hall shake-up as former LA Mayor Eric Garcetti veterans emerge in new administration

Los Angeles Mayor-elect Nithya Raman is drawing on experienced City Hall figures, including former aides to ex-Mayor Eric Garcetti, as she builds her administration. The appointments may sit uneasily with her campaign promise to shake up the mayor’s office, while bringing people with experience in city government and major policy challenges.

Rick Cole is expected to play a leading role on Raman’s transition team; he is a government reformer whose departure as Santa Monica city manager in 2020 came amid a projected $226 million budget shortfall and disputes over proposed cuts. Other figures include Andrea Conant, whose past work for a developer prompted conflict-of-interest questions, and campaign manager Jeff Millman, whose plans for a permanent role are unclear. Former Garcetti communications director Dae Levine already works in Raman’s operation, and she has 39 days before taking office on 14 December as the city’s 2027 budget process gets under way.