Fenty Promotes Insider to Be Deputy Mayor

Valerie Santos, a self-described protegee of D.C. City Administrator Neil O. Albert, replaced him yesterday as deputy mayor for planning and economic development.

Santos, 36, who has worked as chief operating officer under Albert for more than two years, said she planned to build on the office's accomplishments while focusing on development east of the Anacostia River.

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) announced Santos's promotion at a news conference at the Northwest Washington construction site for Walker Jones School, one of the economic development office's major projects and a model for future projects that features a school, recreation center and library rolled into one.

Albert officially took on his duties as city administrator Saturday, replacing Dan Tangherlini, who left the Fenty administration to accept an appointment as an assistant secretary for the U.S. Treasury Department.

Greg O'Dell, chief executive of the Washington Convention Center, had also been considered to replace Albert.

The mayor said he liked the idea that Santos had "risen from the ranks."

He also pointed to her experience working in the private sector, like other staff members who have joined the economic development office. Santos, who also worked with Ernst & Young's real estate group, has master's degrees in business administration and public policy from Harvard University.

"In Ms. Santos, we not only have a steady hand who knows the job, we have someone who is a consummate professional who will bring private-sector talent to get the job done," he said.

A former vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle, an international real estate firm, Santos said Albert lured her from the private sector to government. She said she looked forward to meeting with members of the D.C. Council and community leaders.

Albert has had a shaky relationship with council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large), chairman of the Committee on Economic Development.

In a statement after the mayor's news conference, Brown expressed disappointment that he had not been invited to the announcement but said he supported Santos's appointment.

"I believe this is an opportunity to forge a new relationship between the Council and the Executive to create jobs for District residents, new opportunities for local businesses, more affordable housing and to efficiently move projects to completion," he said.