Director of communications is a key role in government that extends far beyond serving as a mayoral mouthpiece. It’s the person that helps structure a broader outreach with arts, entertainment, business community, markets city assets, employs social media, frames administration initiatives and builds relationships with media organizations.
A communications director who doesn’t communicate is like a trumpet without a mouthpiece. You don’t want someone who postures defensively to fresh ideas and teamwork.
On Friday Mayor Joe Ganim announced Danielle Wedderburn, homegrown, well schooled, creative behind a camera, as the new communications director. She had served in the communications department as press secretary.
She replaces Tia Joseph who will segue to a specific role as public information officer for police, fire and emergency management. If you watch Chief Roderick Porter’s Facebook live segments, she’s the person behind the scenes filtering questions the chief answers.
The Ganim administration, at times, has been challenged to marry hires with requisite skill set. You don’t hire a government secretary without the background necessary to carry out the communications leadership of Connecticut’s most populous city, and particularly at the highest pay scale $120K. Hopefully the dedicated role will be a better skill fit for Joseph.
Wedderburn shares her professional thoughts on her LinkedIn page:
Skilled multimedia professional with a concentration in writing, photography, and social media management. I enjoy storytelling through imagery and thoroughly enjoy the art of photojournalism. I’m deeply connected to highlighting the beauty in places that aren’t often viewed as such. My goal is to always provide fresh ideas to push engagement towards small businesses, community/non-profit organizations, and local community initiatives.
News release from the Mayor’s Office:
Today, Mayor Ganim announced that he is reorganizing and filling several key positions within city government, in addition to making several small changes within city departments. Among these changes are the following appointments:
Communications Director – Danielle Wedderburn
For the past year, Wedderburn has served in the Ganim Administration as the Press Secretary in the Office of Communications. In that role, Wedderburn was primarily focused on written and media communications for the City of Bridgeport, as well as managed the City’s various social media platforms. A lifelong resident of Bridgeport, Wedderburn graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a B.A. in English and earned an M.A. in Broadcast Journalism & Media Production from Sacred Heart University. Wedderburn will now serve as the City’s Communications Director.
Director of Public Information – Tia Josef
For the past two years, Josef has served in the Ganim Administration as Director of Communications. In that role, Josef oversaw the rollout of the City’s new marketing campaign and the launch of the new city website. Prior to her time in Bridgeport, Josef served as Executive Secretary to Mayor O’Leary of Waterbury. She also serves as a Board Member and Secretary of the Kennedy Collective and earned her B.A. in Organizational Communication from Southern Connecticut State University. Josef will now serve as Director of Public Information, and will run point on communications involving the Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Operations.
Project Manager (American Rescue Plan Administrator) – Anthony Paoletto
Paoletto has served in the Ganim Administration in various capacities, most recently as a Special Projects Manager for the Office of the Mayor & Communications Office. Previously, Paoletto worked in Health Department helping to coordinate the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizing over 350 vaccine clinics resulting in over 30,000 shots administered to Bridgeport residents. In 2015 at the age of 18, Anthony was elected to the Bridgeport City Council, becoming the youngest local elected official in the state. Paoletto is a lifelong Bridgeport, as well as a volunteer for several local organizations including the Barnum Festival, the Columbus Day Parade, and the Bridgeport Police Activities League. Paoletto will now take over administration of the American Rescue Plan for the duration of the grant.
Project Manager in the Chief Administrative Office – Nikka Olofson
Olofson has served the City of Bridgeport since 2020 administering the City’s American Rescue Plan program. In that role, Olofson competently led the effort to administer tens of millions of dollars to non-profits working throughout the city to address the economic effects of COVID-19. She also successfully implemented a Small Business Expansion grant program and Storefront Improvement grant program that deployed millions of dollars to hundreds of Bridgeport businesses during the height of the pandemic. Olofson will now work on important projects and initiatives in the Chief Administrative Office.
Director of the Mayor’s Initiative for Re-Entry Affairs – Toshirea Jackson
Jackson currently serves as a Project Longevity Care Coordinator for Career Resources, Inc. In that role, Jackson serves a caseload of over 150 individuals who are formerly incarcerated due to violent offenses and are at high risk for recidivism. She is also a member of Public Allies—a non-profit that focuses on leadership development, social justice issues, and equity. Additionally, Jackson is a volunteer group facilitator at Homebridge Ventures where she facilitates groups focused on entrepreneurship, social-emotional intelligence, and resiliency. Jackson is a formerly incarcerated individual who is passionate about helping others navigate the challenges regarding reintegration of ex-offenders into the community. Jackson will serve as the new Director of the M.I.R.A. Program.
I can already hear her answering a call from Brian Lockhart: What’s up lock?
“The Ganim administration, at times, has been challenged to marry hires with requisite skill set. You don’t hire a government secretary without the background necessary to” ____________________________. Readers may wish to fill in the blank, above. Ganim3 follows in the footsteps of Ganim2’s eight years where he had employees who join his team but then fails to list them along with the more formal Table of Organization “employees” and the compensation each position provides. Not questioning his right to administratively organize, at all. But he re-organizes so regularly that I suspect there is something else going on here that is not communicated, in print, to the taxpayers. (I have no personal problem or current conflict with any individual introduced to us as readers of OIB, indeed.) Broader info in every communication release builds greater understanding and possibility of trust and respect among those who care about good governance.. Employee turnover happens for many reasons but poor use, over an extended term of “best practices” can lead quickly to vacant positions.
I have spoken quite regularly about the failure of many City employees, filling all types of jobs paid for by taxpayers as current compensation and funding of deferred benefits, to receive a regular employment review by a supervisor to whom they report. Sometimes I have been told that an “employee right to an official review of her/his work effort” has been negotiated away in City labor negotiations. True or not true? If true, why? How does a supervisor document official comments? How does an employee defend their understanding or questions with a document that becomes part of their City employment file? Has a reader faced such an experience where the failure to develop an annual official meeting, common in the business world, is at the root of job dissatisfaction, less than issues of good performance, and ultimately leads to a grievance and legal action against the City?
Such meetings provide an opportunity for a senior supervisor, to guide or direct specific actions towards management objectives and create team knowledge and effort which sustain Department mission when current leadership die, become disabled, just depart or retire. Where is the overall planning to sustain and support positions in the City of administrative leaders like the result in Civil Service Department (acting) leader for more than ten years to ultimately disappear from his office to courtroom and then time behind bars? Is any of the cavalier handling of personnel matters by Ganim1, or Ganim2 management skill, or is the Charter, with many duties not handled in a timely manner need a current review to provide credible service to the taxpaying public regularly? In this matter I am not laying any current blame at the feet of the group of messengers introduced above. The actual message has been written in the current history of City leadership events known to many both before social media became so dominant as well as previously. Can you smell any change in the atmosphere or climate? Are we well served? Time will tell.
John? You don’t hire a government secretary without the background necessary to” ____________________________
Type. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcCFMW9G8ro
Teh Prophet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryr75N0nki0
…spin bullshit.