Mayor David Alvey has announced appointments to his staff, according to a news release from the Unified Government.
Alvey’s chief of staff will be Maureen Mahoney, who also was chief of staff for former Mayor Mark Holland. Christal Watson has been named deputy chief of staff for neighborhood and small business development. Lynn Melton is the new assistant to the mayor. Racheal Botello is the administrative assistant for the mayor’s office.
“These individuals were chosen for their passion for our community, their thoughtfulness in approaching problems, and their wide range of relationships and experiences in Wyandotte County,” Alvey said in a news release. “As a team we are committed to engaging our residents, our businesses, and our neighborhoods in the work of making Wyandotte County an even better place to live and to do business. I am thankful for the generosity of these individuals.”
Mahoney, an attorney, formerly practiced law as a prosecutor, as general counsel for KVC Behavioral Health and as a guardian ad litem representing children in foster care. She has served on several philanthropic, social service, educational and health institution boards.
“In all of her work she has consistently demonstrated her ability to offer wise, informed counsel in difficult situations, and her relationships are marked by mutual respect and care,” Alvey stated in a news release. “Maureen’s presence in our region will ensure that the voice of Wyandotte County will continue to be heard.”
Watson recently served as the president of the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce. Watson has a master of arts degree in organizational, business and workforce development.
“We have created this position so that we may drive an agenda that will build our city from the neighborhoods up,” Alvey said in the news release. “Christal is committed to creating an environment within our city and county that will attract and sustain small businesses that serve the needs of residents in their neighborhoods.”
Melton, assistant to the mayor, will be the “go to” person, according to Alvey’s statement. Melton has more than 35 years of experience in marketing and finance and has served on the Board of Trustees of the Leukemia Society.
“Lynn is well-connected and eager to engage our neighborhood and community groups in their efforts to become more effective agents of change,” Alvey said in the news release. “I especially appreciate Lynn’s ability to attend meetings in my stead and to provide clear, unobstructed feedback to our team.”
Botello will continue to serve the mayor’s office as administrative assistant. Before her time at the UG, she worked at UMB, where her fluency in Spanish and her other skills helped to provide outstanding customer service, the mayor stated in the news release.
“Racheal consistently communicates to others a spirit of openness and of professionalism,” Alvey stated in the news release.