Happy trails to my Chief of Staff, Kezia Wanner

View full size image of Councilor Ryan and his team at the 2026 Dragon Boat Races.

Kezia Wanner has a long history of public sector leadership experience across the City of Portland and beyond, and I'll touch on that in a moment—but her presence was most obvious to me when she was running to represent District 3 as a Portland City Councilor in 2024. As a candidate, she was pragmatic, poised, and no-nonsense, and through her campaign, I enjoyed learning about her vision for D3 and Portland. When she didn't eke out a spot on City Council, I knew that if I could swing it, I wanted her as my Chief of Staff. I'd seen enough to know that we'd find success together while navigating the implementation of a new form of government. Lucky for me, she said yes.

I couldn't be prouder of the work Kezia has led for my office over the last 20 months—everything from setting our strategic legislative agenda and developing policy to managing committees and building out my team. Her mark on my office, and on me, is immense. I've mentioned this before, but my nickname for Kezia is "Coach". She's studied the playbook, she sees the entire field, and she always calls the right play.

Kezia has spent more than 20 years in public service—much of that at the City of Portland. Prior to joining my office, she was the Deputy Director of Oregon Emergency Management. Before that, she served in executive roles at Portland Fire & Rescue, City of Newberg, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland's City Budget Office, and the Portland Police Bureau. To say that she has been an asset to my office, this Council, the City of Portland, and most importantly, to the Portlanders we serve, would be an understatement. 

View full size image of Kezia Wanner (center, right) with friends, family, and Councilor Ryan at City Hall on Kezia Wanner Day (July 15, 2026).

In this moment, I want to thank her for her contributions—and for her friendship. I also want to wish her the very best as she takes on a leadership role at Clackamas County. 

It's my honor to share that today Mayor Keith Wilson signed a proclamation that July 15, 2026 is Kezia Wanner Day. Kezia: the team and I, many former colleagues, and Portlanders hope that you do feel celebrated today and all days. Thank you for your dedicated tenure as a public servant at the City of Portland.

I'm excited to share more about my new Chief of Staff in the coming days. Stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Dan