Joe Magee, the deputy chief of staff for Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, is leaving his role after 18 months.
The mayor announced his departure in a press release alongside two other departures: Ingrid Jonas, the senior advisor for community safety, and Sarah Russell, the special assistant to end homelessness. All three plan to leave the mayor’s office this month.
The office has appointed Jen Monroe Zakaras — a public health researcher and former City Council candidate — as Magee’s replacement beginning next week, the press release said.
Magee represented Burlington’s Ward 3 on the City Council prior to joining the mayor’s office, according to the press release. During his time with Mulvaney-Stanak, he helped coordinate the city’s Annual Report and its voter education plan for Town Meeting Day. He also worked on issues such as homelessness, substance use disorder and housing in the city.
“I am immensely grateful to Joe for his long service and trusted partnership,” Mulvaney-Stanak said in the press release. “This role demands a lot of those who hold it, and Joe’s dedication to our City is evident in how much of his time and hard effort were put towards building its future. I am so appreciative and can’t wait to see what he does next.”
Magee does not have any immediate plans after his departure, the release said.
Jonas, a retired commander for the Vermont State Police, joined the mayor’s office in September 2024 as a part-time advisor on community safety. The position was a “limited-service” role that will not be filled again, according to the press release.
Jonas researched national best practices and implemented the “Situation Table,” an interagency advisory group, according to the press release. She also worked with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the firm hired to look for the city’s next police chief.
Russell has served as special assistant since 2022, developing policies and programming targeting Burlington’s unhoused people. According to the release, she helped create key strategies and cross-department collaborations for the city while pushing for systemic change.
“I’d like to profoundly thank Ingrid and Sarah for stepping up to serve our City,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “We are all indebted to their tireless commitment to solving some of Burlington’s most pressing challenges. I’m proud of their impactful work, which my administration will continue to build on, and wish them the very best in their next endeavors.”
Russell has taken a role with an unnamed “community-based nonprofit,” the release said. It said that more about her future position would be shared in the near future.
The three departing employees did not respond to requests for comment.
