Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 — 2:15 p.m.

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield met with Republican and Democratic state lawmakers and was celebrated as the city’s incoming leader during Thursday’s Michigan House session.

Sheffield’s transition team said she had discussions with leaders of both chambers, including Republican House Speaker Matt Hall, Democratic Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony, the Michigan Black Caucus and the Detroit Delegation and more. The meetings reflected a shared understanding of how Detroit’s continued growth can spur progress across Michigan, according to a statement. 

“I look forward to working with leaders on both sides of the aisle to continue moving Detroit forward and ensuring that Detroit’s progress and prosperity touches every neighborhood across our great city,” Sheffield said in a statement. 

State Rep. Stephanie Young, D-Detroit, introduced Sheffield on the House floor as the city’s first woman mayor in history and a “double threat” as “an African American leader.” Young presented Sheffield with a framed seal of the state of Michigan signed by lawmakers. Sheffield posed for photos with lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony in front of a painting of the first woman elected to the Michigan Legislature.

Young said lawmakers are looking forward to having a partnership with Sheffield, recognizing Sheffield’s “amazing work” as president of the City Council. Sheffield will be sworn in as Detroit’s 76th mayor on Jan. 1, 2026. Sheffield has said partnering with lawmakers will be essential, because the Legislature influences resources and policy affecting Detroit.

“It is my intent to ensure that I continue to build on those relationships through our lobbyists and ensure that we also have an additional liaison that’s working in the state,” Sheffield said in an October interview. “I am prepared and ready to find common ground with whomever is in office, whether you’re on the left or on the right. I know that there are some common things that we can all agree on to be able to move the city forward.”

During the 2025 mayoral campaign, Sheffield pitched several proposals that will require the Legislature’s approval. That includes an entertainment tax on downtown arenas, local rent control regulation and expansion of the Rx Kids initiative, which provides cash aid for new mothers.

Sheffield has also said she’ll work with the Legislature to direct state funding to Detroit, particularly efforts around gun violence prevention and regional transportation. She described already cultivating connections with the Detroit legislative delegation and emphasized the need to continue building those relationships after taking office.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel told BridgeDetroit in November that Sheffield is known among Lansing’s political class as “personable and open, and she’s a fighter.” Hertel, a Detroit native whose grandparents once ran a German beer hall, said the Legislature knows that “if Detroit doesn’t succeed, neither does the rest of the state.” 

“There are a lot of people in Detroit that are frustrated, that they feel like they’ve been forgotten, and she’s somebody who’s actually going to work to actually make those things better in the city,” Hertel said. 

Todd Bettison to remain police chief in Sheffield administration

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 – 11:35 a.m.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison will remain in his position under Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield’s incoming administration, her transition team announced on Tuesday. 

Bettison was appointed interim chief by outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan in 2024 and confirmed by the City Council in February. The longtime Detroit Police Department officer had previously served as Duggan’s deputy mayor, leading the city’s Community Violence Intervention initiative. Sheffield praised Bettison’s “boots on the ground” approach and youth engagement on the campaign trail and said Tuesday they share a commitment to launch Detroit’s first Office of Gun Violence Prevention. 

“There’s nothing more important to the community and me as mayor than improving public safety,” Sheffield said in a statement. “It’s rare to have a chief of police who has the respect of their peers, the loyalty of the rank and file, and the hearts and trust of the people. That is precisely what we have in Chief Bettison, who brings with him nearly three decades of service to our great city as a member of the Detroit Police Department.”

Bettison became a Detroit patrol officer in 1994 and served 27 years in DPD. He retired as the second-highest ranking member before returning to lead the department. Bettison said Detroit has continued to experience a decline in violent crime during his tenure, and is eager to make the city safer with Sheffield’s support.  

“I am confident we will close out 2025 with even more historic low violent crime levels,” Bettison said in a statement. “My goal for the city in the years to come is to continue our efforts in pushing crime down, while enhancing overall public safety for all of our neighborhoods. I am excited that Madam Mayor-elect Sheffield is giving me another opportunity to continue to work in making Detroit one of the safest cities in America and I know with her guidance and support, this goal will become a reality.”

Sheffield had committed to keeping Bettison in place as far back as a mayoral primary debate during the Mackinac Policy Conference. 

“I would just say for a public record that I love our chief, Chief Bettison, and I will keep him to invest in community policing, ensuring that we have more presence in our neighborhoods, that we’re reducing response times, that we’re building trust (with the) community, that police officers are not just present when something happens, but actually building that partnership and that trust,” Sheffield said during the May debate.

Brian White to serve as deputy mayor in Sheffield administration

Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 – 12:50 p.m.

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield announced the first appointment in her incoming administration, selecting Brian White to serve as deputy mayor in 2026.

White was Sheffield’s long-time chief of staff while she served on the City Council, and previously worked as public policy manager at the Detroit Branch NAACP, financial advisor at American Express and political director for voting rights organizations. A press release described him as a long-time Detroiter who lives in the city with his wife and three children. 

“I am deeply honored to continue serving the people of Detroit in this new role,” White said in the release. “For more than a decade, I’ve worked alongside Mayor-elect Sheffield as we pushed for a city government that listens to its residents and fights for fairness, opportunity and dignity for all. I believe wholeheartedly in her vision for an administration rooted in transparency, community partnership and equitable progress. I am eager to continue the work we started to deliver on the Mayor-elect’s people-centered and pro-growth policy agenda which will help Detroit’s progress reach more Detroiters and deeper into the neighborhoods.”

As deputy mayor, White is a senior adviser to Sheffield and will oversee the state and federal policy agenda, labor relations, regional partnerships and the overall operational function of city government.

The deputy mayor can temporarily stand in for Sheffield during any absence but does not have the power to appoint or remove officials and lacks the same veto powers as the mayor. If there is a vacancy in the mayor’s office, the president of the city council will succeed the mayor until a new mayor is elected. 

Deputy Mayor Melia Howard was appointed by outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan in 2024. She earns a salary of $193,023. The transition team didn’t immediately say how much White will earn.

White introduced Sheffield on stage at her Election Night victory party at Motor City Casino Hotel. He described the mayor-elect as a “student of city government” who grew tremendously over the last 12 years on City Council. White ran for the same District 5 seat in 2013 but didn’t advance from the primary. 

White recalled one early vote Sheffield took, “one of the biggest votes of her career,” that ended in his disappointment but White said Sheffield went on to become one of the most effective council members he’s witnessed in his life.

“Like Mary Magdalene, our Mary is the apostle of apostles, and will bear witness to Detroit’s resurrection,” White said on Election Night in November. “Like Mary, Mother of Jesus, she will serve as a joint vessel to our salvation, and like Mary McLeod Bethune, our Mary is a champion for equality, and knows nothing is possible without faith.”

Mayor-elect Sheffield invites Detroiters to policy work session 

Monday, Dec. 1 — 1:30 p.m.

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield is hosting work sessions with residents, defining job responsibilities for key positions and adding hundreds of transition team members, all building toward a 100-day action plan before she takes office in January. 

Detroiters can participate in the first public engagement event from 6-8 p.m., Dec. 1 at the Madame Cadillac Hall within Marygrove Conservancy’s campus.

Rise Higher Detroit Chair Melvin Butch Hollowell, who’s been involved with several mayoral and gubernatorial transitions, told BridgeDetroit that he’s never seen residents asked to weigh in on the incoming mayor’s priorities like this. Attendees will hear a presentation from Sheffield before participating in working sessions Monday evening. 

“The brand for mayor-elect has all been about listening and community,” Hollowell said Monday. “We’re going to make sure that people have an opportunity to say what’s on their minds. How are core city services that they’re receiving in their particular neighborhoods being handled?” 

Hollowell said the transition team is seeking “unvarnished opinions” from residents to get an understanding of where the city can improve. Residents can also submit feedback online and sign up for email updates from Rise Higher Detroit. 

“We will turn that feedback into action through our transition committees and through the governing structure that will begin to take shape on Jan. 1,” Hollowell said. 

Job postings on the Rise Higher Detroit website provide some clues as to how Sheffield’s administration will differ from Mayor Mike Duggan’s. 

Sheffield is planning a new Department of Human, Homeless and Family Services focused on simplifying access to services and addressing the social determinants of health. She’s also planning to launch a new office of Senior Citizen Affairs.

Other new roles include a director of community violence intervention, a senior director of population and revenue growth, and an education liaison to work with the city’s public school district and charter schools. Hollowell said other positions will be posted in the future. 

Sheffield’s transition team announced dozens of new members serving on committees organized around her administration’s key priorities. Rise Higher Detroit announced committee leaders in November, and the expanded roster continues to include a broad swath of Detroit business and nonprofit leaders, activists, educators and artists. 

An online list shows 228 members total. Hollowell said it’s the largest group ever assembled for a mayoral transition in Detroit.  

“Nothing has ever been done on this scale in this city, that’s for sure,” Hollowell said. “That’s feedback I’m getting from administrations around the United States who are all looking at this and saying ‘this is really incredible.’ Nobody is doing this in any of the major big cities across the United States.” 

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Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield names leaders of transition team

Thursday, Nov. 13 — 1:20 p.m.

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield has assembled prominent leaders in business, philanthropy, community organizing, public safety and other key sectors to craft her plan for the first 100 days in office. 

Sheffield named the leaders of her transition team and kicked off the group’s first meeting Thursday morning at its Marygrove Conservancy headquarters. The team is embarking on “the boldest, most rigorous and inclusive transition in Detroit’s history,” Sheffield said, incorporating feedback from residents in upcoming public surveys and forums. 

“This is a high-caliber, passionate, knowledgeable and intentional group that is ready to work for the betterment of the city,” Sheffield told reporters at a Thursday press conference. 

Melvin Butch Hollowell, a former corporation counsel for outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan, was selected as co-chair of the Rise Higher Detroit Transition. Hollowell said he’s led seven other transition processes for incoming mayors. This team will look to best practices in other cities. 

Sheffield earned 77% of the vote in the Nov. 4 election, giving her a clear mandate from voters to implement her agenda, Hollowell said. Donna Givens Davidson, CEO of Eastside Community Network and a co-chair of the housing development and planning committee, said Detroit’s first woman mayor is a trailblazer. Givens Davison said Sheffield’s overwhelming victory shows the trust she’s built as City Council president. 

“It’s time for our neighborhoods to rise, and I’m honored that community development organizations represented by people like me now have a seat at the table,” Givens Davidson said. 

Eighteen transition committees will collaborate with civic and community leaders to develop policy recommendations and identify priorities for the first 100 days. Sheffield said the committees were chosen to reflect key issues and are led by people who have expertise and connections to everyday Detroiters.

The group will meet multiple times per week until Dec. 31. The transition team will announce opportunities for public feedback in the coming weeks and policy plans will be unveiled in the new year. 

A chief talent officer responsible for vetting candidates for cabinet positions and other key jobs in Sheffield’s administration will be announced at a later date. Sheffield said 795 applications have been submitted for jobs in her administration so far, showing the level of excitement people have for Detroit’s future. 

“We want to keep some institutional knowledge while also (bringing) in some new bold and innovative people,” Sheffield said when asked how many people in the current administration she would keep on staff. “We have a great combination of both, and we’re going to make sure that we have a committee that is tasked with looking at national and local experts to ensure that they’re executing the vision and the values that I have as mayor.”  

It took Hollowell roughly five minutes to name all of the committee chairs. Hollowell said no one has turned down an offer to work on the team. Teferi Brent, an activist and minister serving on the public safety committee, said it’s an impressive roster. 

“I’ve never seen this kind of coalition before, and this speaks to her level of understanding, the relationships she’s built over the years and her magnificent body of work, which is unparalleled,” Brent said. “Only madame Mayor Sheffield could have brought us all together.” 

Brent said the public safety and emergency services committee will focus on addressing the root causes of crime. Brent said the criminal justice system harms people to stop them from harming others. Their approach will focus on healing, Brent said. 

“This is what we’re about: Justice, safety and peace,” Brent said. “We will not allow ourselves to live in the community where our elders are terrorized, where our babies are worried about being killed as they walk back and forth to school and where women are being assaulted at the gas station while trying to pump their gas.” 

Gary Torgow, chairman of Huntington Bank, is a co-chair of a committee focused on economic and workforce development. He said Sheffield laid out a clear vision for Detroit’s next chapter in the “new Sheffield era.” 

“I have had the privilege of working alongside so many partners dedicated to Detroit’s revival, from our neighborhoods to our business community and our civic institutions,” Torgow said. “We’ve seen Detroit at its toughest moments and at its most inspiring. This moment today, this transition is clearly one of the most important and critical chapters yet … We are all confident standing in this room and throughout the city that her leadership will usher in a new era of growth that touches even more of Detroit’s neighborhoods, Detroit’s citizens and Detroit’s community.” 

No public or campaign dollars are being used to fund the transition. Hollowell said members are volunteers and will not be paid. A fund was established at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and supported by 15 foundations, to fund transition community engagement and talent acquisition efforts. 

The Rise Higher Detroit Transition announced the following leaders of policy committees: 

The team includes 11 people who donated a total of $26,285 to Sheffield’s campaign. Campaign finance disclosures released two weeks before the election show she raised $2.7 million overall. 

Tellem gave Sheffield’s campaign a maximum donation of $8,325. His wife, Nancy, and son Eric Tellem each gave $8,325. Torgow did not personally donate to Sheffield’s campaign, but family members gave a combined $25,000. 

Thomas gave $7,325 and Ayad gave $3,325. 

Plonka, managing partner of Zausmer PC, donated $1,200. Attorneys at Zausmer contributed a combined $4,650 to Sheffield’s campaign. 

King gave $2,500 and Little gave $1,000. Other donors serving on the transition team include Sherard-Freeman ($500), Brent ($250), Berry ($250), Dewaelsche ($250) and Rencher ($250).

Kamala Harris calls Sheffield with advice after historic victory

Wednesday, Nov. 5 — 3:30 p.m.

Mary Sheffield’s phone has been ringing off the hook since winning Detroit’s mayoral race Tuesday night, but one caller took her by surprise. 

Sheffield said former Vice President Kamala Harris called her Wednesday morning before she started a day of interviews to offer congratulations and support. Harris conveyed some words of wisdom on navigating the spotlight as a Black woman on the national stage, Sheffield said. 

“It was a nice amount of time; she actually gave me some really good advice as a woman going into office,” Sheffield said in an interview.

Sheffield was a surrogate for Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign and joined her at campaign events in Detroit. 

Harris oversaw the country’s first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, created by the Biden White House in 2023. It provided states with tools and funding to support local prevention efforts and advocated for legislation to strengthen background checks and safe-storage laws.

The Biden-Harris administration also allowed pandemic relief funds to support community violence intervention programs, a key thrust of Detroit’s public safety strategy. A 2024 impact report credited the White House Office of Gun Violence with contributing to drops in violent crime nationwide. 

Sheffield’s proposal to establish a Detroit office within the first 100 days is a key part of her policy platform.

“We talked about the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, how she is actually very excited that she saw that was a priority of mine, and she wants to provide as much assistance to make sure that that office is successful,” Sheffield said of Harris.

In her Tuesday night victory speech, Sheffield said she’ll work tirelessly to ensure the safety of Detroit’s communities, “focusing on prevention first, strengthening community and police relations and treating gun violence like the public health crisis that it is.” 

The office would focus on addressing root causes of crime, expanding access to mental health care and trauma recovery services, investing more funds in Detroit’s ShotStoppers Community Violence Intervention program and establishing “community safe havens” where residents can seek resources and create more youth programs. 

“We talked a lot about communications and making sure that I’m really driving the narrative, and how, as a Black woman in office, I may have to navigate that space differently,” Sheffield said. “She was kind of giving me advice on how to ensure that we’re getting our message out in the right way.” 

Sheffield said Harris advised her to strategize short, medium and long-term goals, starting with some immediate wins and building up to broader outcomes. 

“I was very honored that she called,” Sheffield said. “It was very encouraging. I didn’t think she would call.” 

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield begins crafting 100-day action plan

Wednesday, Nov. 5 — 10:25 a.m.

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield announced her plan to create a transition plan hours after being declared the winner of Tuesday’s election. 

Melvin Butch Hollowell, managing partner of The Miller Law Firm Detroit and former Detroit corporation counsel, will chair a transition effort branded as “Rise Higher Detroit.” A website went live Wednesday morning that posted a job board and details of a plan to collect feedback from residents, convene committees focused on specific policy areas and craft a roadmap for Sheffield’s first 100 days. 

“The Rise Higher Detroit transition is about creating an open, people-powered process that listens to every voice and turns community priorities into action,” reads a press release sent to reporters at 4 a.m. Wednesday morning. “Mayor-elect Sheffield is launching the most ambitious and inclusive transition engagement effort in the city’s history, designed to ensure that Detroiters are shaping the path forward.”

The effort includes five main components:

• A citywide survey reaching residents in every Council district—both online and through on-the-ground canvassing—to capture real information about Detroiters’ own priorities
• Convene transition committees made up of policy experts, civic leaders, and youth and community advocates, to interpret survey results, translate them into actionable recommendations, and collaborate with city departments to vet and refine policy ideas
• An actionable list of 100-day priorities crafted by the transition committees 
• Host community events across all neighborhoods where residents can see priorities clearly displayed and share their ideas
• Help Sheffield hire talented and passionate administration officials. Specific positions will be posted on the website periodically, but the transition is collecting resumes now to match Detroiters’ skills and experiences to upcoming roles in the administration.

No public or campaign dollars are being used to fund the activities of the Rise Higher Detroit transition committee, according to a press release. Sheffield and Detroit’s philanthropic community collaborated to create a fund, established at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and supported by a variety of other unnamed foundations and other civic institutions.

Sheffield beat Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. in Tuesday’s mayoral election with 77% of the vote.