Richmond Mayor names acting Chief Administrative Officer, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond Mayor Danny Avula announced multiple new appointments in key leadership roles on Friday.
On Friday, May 23, 2025, Avula revealed his nomination of Sharon Ebert to serve as acting Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). She currently serves as the deputy CAO (DCAO) for Planning & Economic Development.
Ebert will be filling the CAO role after the interim CAO, Sabrina Joy-Hogg, resigned on May 21.
Joy-hogg temporarily took on the role alongside her duties as the city’s deputy administrative officer of finance and administration when CAO Lincoln Saunders resigned on Dec. 31, 2024. She will continue her interim CAO role until June 6.
“Sharon has a whip-smart, encyclopedic knowledge of what makes cities work,” Avula said in a statement. “I’m so thankful she’s willing to step in for a short time before our new CAO officially starts. I know we’re in good hands.”
The city will also temporarily use a Henrico County leader to help out. W. Brandon Hinton will serve as the City’s Acting DCAO for Finance & Administration. Hinton is Henrico County’s Deputy County Manager for Administration.
“When I reached out to the County Manager to see if he’d be open to loaning us Brandon for a couple of months, he had absolutely zero hesitation. His willingness to lend a hand and Brandon’s willingness to serve his neighbors in Richmond are a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together,” Avula said.
District 8 councilmember Reva Trammell said she applauded the mayor asking for help.
“To me, it shows that he doesn't mind reaching out and asking for help when he knows when he needs it,” Trammell said. “Whoever's willing to come in and help us or to show us that we need to get back on track.”
But she said residents need help now with issues that date back months.
“They are upset,” Trammell said. “We haven't got our tax bill yet, a real estate tax bill. What's going on. We haven't got a rebate to check what's happening.”
