Pete Fry names chief of staff and deputy, both from outside Green Party
Mayor-elect Pete Fry has named Dominique Damian-Wallace as chief of staff and longtime city employee Cheryl Rowley as deputy chief of staff, the Vancouver Sun reported October 30, breaking with the practice of recent mayors who staffed the mayor's office with party insiders.
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The Vancouver Sun reported October 30 that mayor-elect Pete Fry has named Dominique Damian-Wallace as his chief of staff and longtime City of Vancouver employee Cheryl Rowley as deputy chief of staff for the new mayor's office, both of them outside the Green Party network that elected him.
Damian-Wallace is a Vancouver resident with a mix of public and private-sector experience who, according to the Sun, met Fry at their neighbourhood dog park over several years and connected over shared values. She is not a longtime Green Party insider, the Sun reported.
A hire from inside city hall
The Sun reported that Rowley worked at the City of Vancouver for four years before Fry was first elected to council in 2018, and most recently served in the city manager's office. Her hire marks a shift in how the mayor's office is staffed: Fry told the Sun, "There's a real intention on my part to depoliticize the mayor's office."
Fry won the October 17 mayoral race as the Green Party of Vancouver's candidate, defeating incumbent Mayor Ken Sim of ABC Vancouver. The new council of 10 seats is split across four parties: four COPE councillors, four Green Party councillors, one OneCity councillor, and one ABC Vancouver councillor. No single party holds a majority.
Building a council-wide team
The mayor's office staff hires follow a series of appointments Fry made earlier this week. He named COPE councillor-elect Sean Orr as first deputy mayor, appointed Rebecca Bligh to lead his transition team, and reappointed ABC councillor Mike Klassen to the Metro Vancouver Board. Committee and representative roles were distributed across all parties on the incoming 10-member council, continuing the cross-party approach Fry has described since the October 17 vote.
The new council is sworn in on November 2, when Fry officially becomes mayor. Decisions made by Fry and the council once in office will be tracked on his candidate page at /candidates/pete-fry. The Sun's full report on the mayor's office changes is available to subscribers at its website.
Questions this story answers
Who is Pete Fry's chief of staff?
The Vancouver Sun reported October 30 that Pete Fry's chief of staff is Dominique Damian-Wallace, a Vancouver resident with a mix of public and private-sector experience. The Sun reported she met Fry at their neighbourhood dog park over several years and they connected over shared values. The Sun noted Damian-Wallace is not a longtime Green Party insider.
Who is Pete Fry's deputy chief of staff?
The Vancouver Sun reported October 30 that the deputy chief of staff is Cheryl Rowley, a longtime City of Vancouver employee. Rowley worked at the city for four years before Fry was first elected to council in 2018 and most recently worked in the city manager's office. Fry told the Sun he values her attitude and knowledge of how city hall works.
What did Pete Fry say about the mayor's office?
The Vancouver Sun reported on October 30 that Pete Fry said: 'There's a real intention on my part to depoliticize the mayor's office.' Fry made the comment in connection with his hire of Cheryl Rowley as deputy chief of staff, a city employee of many years rather than a party or campaign insider.
How are these hires different from previous Vancouver mayors?
The Vancouver Sun reported October 30 that Fry is breaking with how his predecessors approached the mayor's office. Fry hired a serving city employee as deputy chief of staff and a Vancouver resident who is not a party insider as chief of staff. Fry told the Sun he has a real intention to depoliticize the mayor's office.
Has Pete Fry made other appointments this week?
Yes. Earlier in the week, Fry named COPE councillor-elect Sean Orr as first deputy mayor, appointed Rebecca Bligh to lead his transition team, and reappointed ABC councillor Mike Klassen to the Metro Vancouver Board. He also spread committee and representative roles across all parties on the incoming council. The new council is sworn in on November 2.
When does Pete Fry officially become mayor?
Pete Fry and the new council are sworn in on November 2, 2026. From that date, Fry officially holds the title of Mayor of Vancouver. He has been making appointments and transition preparations since the October 17 election result.
Where can I read more about Pete Fry's plans for the city?
Voche.me tracks Pete Fry's campaign promises and will record his decisions once he takes office. His candidate page is at /candidates/pete-fry. The Vancouver Sun's full report on the mayor's office changes is available at the Sun's website for subscribers.
What is the timeline for the new Vancouver council taking office?
The new mayor and all 10 councillors are sworn in on November 2, 2026. From that date, Fry officially holds the title of Mayor of Vancouver and the council begins its four-year term. The council holds its first meeting shortly after the swearing-in. Voche.me will track the decisions Fry and the council make from that point at /candidates/pete-fry.
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