EO mayor hires former Obama official to serve as chief of staff

EAST ORANGE, NJ — When East Orange Mayor Lester Taylor announced he would not be running for re-election to a second term Thursday, Feb. 2, he also promised he would not be a “lame duck,” content to ride out his last few months in office before voters choose his successor in the Democratic primary election June 6, and in the general election Nov. 4.

In keeping that promise, Taylor has hired Kellie D. LeDet, a veteran political advisor and former President Barack Obama appointee, as his new chief of staff.

LeDet replaces Ayinde Martin, Taylor’s former aide, who temporarily took over as the mayor’s chief of staff after Missy Balmir resigned from that job in 2015.

“Ayinde worked as his chief of staff between January 2016 and January 2017,” said city public information officer Connie Jackson on Monday, March 6. “Ayinde still works with the city, but we need to confirm an official title.”

According to Taylor, LeDet “brings a wealth of experience as an astute thought leader, communicator and consensus builder.” He said she has been charged with the task of ensuring the transformational legacy created during his term in office and make sure that East Orange “continues to set the standard for urban excellence during this final quarter,” which ends Dec. 31.

“I’ve known Kellie for a long time and I’ve always respected her business acumen and trailblazing accomplishments in government and the private sector,” said Taylor on Monday, March 6. “She has a proven track record as a leader, innovator, negotiator, change agent, advocate and capacity builder. When I made the decision not to run for a second term, I did so for personal reasons, but my professional integrity, my demand for accountability and my expectation of high performance has not wavered. Timing is everything and Kellie is just the right person at just the right time to take my tenure as mayor from good to great.”

LeDet said she welcomes the opportunity to join Taylor’s team at this critical juncture, because she believes his commitment to the people of the city of East Orange is now greater than ever. Obama appointed LeDet in 2014 to serve as the U.S. Small Business Administration regional administrator for Region II, which includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

LeDet said the last six months of 2016 brought about a wide range of emotions for employees of the Obama administration, but the former president consistently challenged his team to finish strong and now she’s happy to be helping Taylor, who is likewise challenging the members of his administration to “go out on a high note.” And that, she said, meshes nicely with her personal motto: “To whom much is given, much is required.”

“This is not just about building a legacy, this is about making sure that our employees are ready and prepared to carry out Mayor Taylor’s legacy after he is gone,” LeDet said Monday, March 6. “Mayor Taylor always talks about being the city’s biggest cheerleader. Well, now I am the second biggest cheerleader and I am here to help in any way that I can.”

Before joining the U.S. Small Business Administration, LeDet served as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez; managing director at the New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation; deputy state director for former U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli; and deputy chief of management and operations for former Gov. James McGreevey, who currently works in Fulop’s administration in Jersey City. She began her career in government working for U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone.

LeDet attended Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., and majored in political science and mass communications with a concentration in public administration. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the New Jersey Association of Women-Owned Businesses Woman of the Year Award and the NAACP’s Outstanding Community Service Award, and the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice’s Small Business Advocate of the Year Award.

  Kellie LeDet, Mayor Lester Taylor