Smiley taps former DOC director to lead DPW and announces other new hires

Providence's Mayor-Elect Brett Smiley made a slew of staffing announcements on Friday, selecting former Department of Corrections Director Patricia Coyne-Fague as the head of Public Works.

Coyne-Fague, who is stepping down from her DOC role on Jan. 13 after leading the department for five years, was one of several of the incoming mayor's new hires. Those include former Providence Public Schools Student Support Coordinator Stephen Grace, who will become the director of recreation, Jonathan Martin, a military professional from Newport who has taught at the U.S. Naval War College and will become the director of public property, and Joe Wilson Jr., a member of Trinity Repertory Company, who will become the head of Art, Culture and Tourism.

Smiley will retain ten of outgoing Mayor Jorge Elorza's appointees. Those include:

City & School Controller Dante Bellini, Director of Licensing & City Registrar Stephany Lopes, Chief Financial Officer Lawrence Mancini, Tax Assessor Janesse Muscatelli, Superintendent of Parks Wendy Nilsson, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Silas Pinto, Director of Senior Services Sue Robbio, Director of Finance Sara Silveria, Chief Information Officer Jim Silveria and Associate Director of Purchasing Alejandro Tirado.

More:Two men at the top of the Providence Police Department are leaving. What's next for them?

Still to-be-announced are multiple key roles, including those in in public safety -- the Providence Police chief and the public safety commissioner, if Smiley decides to fill the latter position -- the city solicitor, and the head of planning and development.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Mayor Brett Smiley's cabinet - who has been named to Providence spots