PRESS RELEASE
Mayor Gavin Buckley
Public Information Office
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact: Mitchelle Stephenson, 410-972-7724 or mwstephenson@annapolis.gov
Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley Announces Cate Pettit as New Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff Susy Smith is Retiring After Four Years of Service to the City
Annapolis, MD (April 11, 2022) – The Office of Mayor Gavin Buckley will have a new Chief of Staff on April 18. Mayor Buckley recently named Cate Pettit to replace outgoing Chief of Staff Susy Smith. Smith is retiring after serving four years with City of Annapolis government.
Pettit is a senior communication and business strategist with extensive experience in government, community and politics. She first met Buckley in 2017 in Annapolis where she volunteered on his first campaign for Mayor. She has continued as a volunteer advisor to Buckley.
Pettit hails from Canberra, Australia. She and her husband Michael Smith lived in downtown Annapolis from 2016 to 2019 and built strong local relationships and became deeply involved in the community.
“In the six years that I have known Cate, she has become a trusted advisor,” Buckley said. “Cate’s professional experience and strategic judgment have come to be something I know I can rely on. She will be a tremendous asset to the City of Annapolis and I am lucky that she has accepted the role to work in Annapolis City government as my chief of staff”
Pettit and her husband returned to Australia in 2019 with a goal of coming back to Annapolis after wrapping up their affairs “down under.” The pandemic had a hand in delaying their return. Pettit has attained an E3 visa.
“Susy and I know each other well. We will be working closely together to ensure a smooth transition and I am deeply grateful for her support,” Pettit said. “I love Annapolis and its residents and I look forward to work that will be both challenging and rewarding.”
“It has been a pleasure and an honor to work for Mayor Buckley and the residents of the City of Annapolis,” Smith said. “I wish Cate the very best and know she will be a tremendous leader for our team.”
Pettit’s official start date is April 18. She will earn a salary of $106,000.
# # #
Mayor Buckley’s new Chief of Staff Cate Pettit.