08-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Mayor-elect Barbara Lee selects Oakland native and progressive politico as chief of staff
Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee has chosen a local progressive leader with experience in the Obama administration as her chief of staff, the first official hire in her office that signals how Lee will run the city.
Lee said Thursday that Miya Saika Chen would be her chief of staff when she takes office later this month. Saika Chen was chief of staff to Nikki Fortunato Bas, a progressive stalwart who was the City Council president before voters elected her to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in November.
'Miya understands how to work across city departments to get things done,' Lee said in a statement. 'Her extensive community network and relationships within Oakland's strong base of nonprofits, small business and community stakeholders will help ensure a broad cross section of the community joining us for the hard work ahead.'
Saika Chen is the highest-ranking staff member Lee has hired to her office, and the move comes as Lee prepares to fulfill her promise to bring the city together to tackle its biggest challenges. The city is facing a nearly $270 million budget deficit over the next two years in its general purpose fund, which pays for fire, police and other services.
Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins has proposed addressing the deficit by eliminating about 400 city positions and introducing a parcel tax for the June 2026 state primary ballot to generate more revenue for the city. Lee called Jenkins' proposal a step in the right direction. She has said she intends to examine the impact of browning out two fire engine companies.
'I'm excited to support our Mayor-elect's vision of unifying our community as One Oakland across our diverse constituencies, neighborhoods, labor and business to secure the results Oaklanders deserve,' Saika Chen said in a statement.
Last week, Lee announced a roster of politicians, business leaders, philanthropists, attorneys and nonprofit heads to advise her on public safety, homelessness and other issues. The group of leaders will help Lee implement her 10-point plan that focuses on developing public safety strategies, streamlining building permits and cleaning up trash, among other goals within her first 100 days in office.
As chief of staff to Bas, Saika Chen, an attorney, worked on expanding Ceasefire, the city's violence prevention strategy, and prioritizing affordable housing and community land trusts. During her tenure as Bas' chief of staff, the team successfully advocated for a 100% affordable housing project on city-owned land near Lake Merritt.
Lee will be sworn into office on May 20.
