Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that he has appointed Kathryn R. Burton as his chief of staff, effective March 9.
As chief of staff for Walsh, Burton will focus on accelerating the implementation of the mayor’s priorities, ensuring the effectiveness of city services and supporting over 18,000 employees in doing their jobs in the City of Boston. Burton previously served as chief of staff for then-Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman.
“I am honored and humbled by this appointment, and I thank Mayor Walsh for the opportunity to serve the city I love and call home,” said Burton. “I look forward to helping Mayor Walsh achieve his ambitious goals for the city and being part of the team that is leading the charge in making Boston a better place for all.”
Burton is currently director of operations for New Boston Ventures, a role she has held for the last four years. During her tenure with Grossman, the Treasury oversaw a $9.6 million operating budget, managed the Commonwealth’s deposits and issued approximately $3 billion in bonds per year, as well as overseeing the Massachusetts Lottery and state pension funds. She also previously served as a senior official at the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and the Barbara Lee Political Office, which has been a leading force in supporting and electing women in politics.
Burton is a member of the Gesgapegiag Mi’kmaq tribe in Quebec, Canada and will be the first indigenous person in a Cabinet-level position at City Hall.
Leroy Denny, Chief of Eskasoni Mi’kmaw First Nation in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, said, “In our community, people earn the highest esteem from serving others. We know that Kathryn will work hard for the mayor and the people of Boston and we honor her service.”
Burton holds an undergraduate degree from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia and a graduate degree from Dartmouth College. She resides in the North End with her husband, Chad Jackson and two boys Miles and Graydon.
