Mayor Daniel Lurie’s communications director is out a week after The Standard reported on tensions between the mayor’s staff and press officials as city departments have bristled over a micromanaging approach to dealing with the media.
Thursday was Nina Negusse’s last day at the mayor’s office. She lasted just two months.
She will be replaced by Han Zou, who is adding communications director to his current role as the mayor’s head of public affairs.
“Nina was a valued member of our team, we appreciate her contributions to the administration, and we wish her the best in her future endeavors,” Charles Lutvak, the mayor’s press secretary, said in a statement. “Han Zou has been a trusted advisor to the mayor, and we are excited to have him taking on an expanded role leading our communications efforts in addition to his work managing our public affairs team.”
Sources told The Standard that Lurie’s press relations team created rules requiring all San Francisco departments to get a sign-off from the mayor’s staff before making statements to the media. The new approach was seen by many as aggressive and overly sensitive to criticism.
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The sources said departments were told the mayor’s office should be briefed on all media inquiries deemed politically sensitive, any request that mentions the mayor’s office, anything related to policy changes in the city, any criticism of the mayor or city, anything that would attract national media attention, and anything that touches the work of multiple departments. The mayor’s office denied this but did not provide clarification.
Negusse was described as less than collegial; press officials were reportedly told they did not need to have her phone number, as she would call them if a conversation was necessary. The mayor’s office denied this.
In a Feb. 28 damage-control meeting, Lurie’s chief of staff, Staci Slaughter, joined the call with press officials to reassure them that they are respected and trusted.
Zou served as campaign manager for Lurie’s mayoral run. He has also overseen campaigns for Rep. Lateefah Simon and Assemblymember Matt Haney and worked in Haney’s supervisor office as a legislative aide.