Key takeaways
- Three of the largest U.S. school districts, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami-Dade, have new leaders in 2026.
- San Francisco, Miami, Honolulu and Reno swore in new police chiefs, and Seattle's chief left in July.
- New leaders typically spend their first months reviewing operations and budgets, which is when vendor relationships are reset.
- Protect accounts where your champion left, and reach new leaders with something useful after their first weeks.
Why leadership changes matter to vendors
A new police chief, superintendent or city manager is one of the clearest buying signals in government. New leaders review how their organization works, set new priorities and often revisit major contracts in their first year.
For vendors, a leadership change cuts both ways. If your champion leaves, an account can go quiet. If a new leader arrives with a mandate to modernize, a door opens. Tracking these changes lets you protect current accounts and reach new leaders at the right time.
New police chiefs in 2026
| Date | Department | New chief | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 21, 2026 | San Francisco Police Department | Derrick Lew | Sworn in as chief after a period under interim chief Paul Yep. |
| April 16, 2026 | Fremont (Calif.) Police Department | Floyd Mitchell | Former Oakland and Lubbock police chief. |
| May 20, 2026 | Reno Police Department | Corey Solferino | Washoe County undersheriff; acting chief since March. |
| June 16, 2026 | Miami Police Department | Edwin Lopez | Former Doral police chief and Miami-Dade Schools police chief; succeeds Manuel Morales. |
| July 2, 2026 | Honolulu Police Department | David Lazar | Career San Francisco Police Department leader; Honolulu's 13th chief. |
| July 30, 2026 | Seattle Police Department | Leadership change | Chief Shon Barnes left the post; confirm current leadership before outreach. |
New superintendents in large school districts
| Date | District | New superintendent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Chicago Public Schools | Macquline King | Named CEO after serving as interim since June 2025. |
| April 2026 | St. Louis Public Schools | Myra Berry | Promoted from interim superintendent. |
| April 2026 | Baltimore City Public Schools | Jermaine Dawson | Named CEO; previously deputy superintendent in Philadelphia. |
| May 2026 | Sacramento City Unified | Cancy McArn | Promoted from interim superintendent. |
| May 2026 | Washoe County School District (Nev.) | Tiffany McMaster | Named superintendent. |
| May 2026 | Harford County Public Schools (Md.) | Dyann Mack | Named superintendent. |
| June 2026 | Long Beach Unified (Calif.) | David Zaid | Promoted from assistant superintendent. |
| June 2026 | Los Angeles Unified | Andrés Chait | Named superintendent after Alberto Carvalho resigned; previously chief of school operations. |
| Sept. 2, 2026 | Miami-Dade County Public Schools | Rafael Villalobos | Selected July 29; took over early from Jose Dotres. Previously South Region superintendent. |
New city managers
| Date | City | New city manager | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | City of Miami | James Reyes | Appointed city manager under Mayor Eileen Higgins; his first major hire was the new police chief. |
| July 2026 | Columbus, Ga. (consolidated government) | Tyson Begly | Approved June 9, 2026, and started in July; succeeds longtime manager Isaiah Hugley. |
Sources: city and district announcements and local news coverage, including Bay City News, KTVU, KRNV, CBS Miami, the Miami Herald, Spectrum News, District Administration, Education Week, WLRN and the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Dates are when the leader took office or was named, as reported. Know of a change we missed? Email research@kensingtonsalesgroup.com.
Other leadership changes to watch
- New governors. Twenty-one states will have new governors in 2027, which means new cabinet secretaries and agency heads. See new governors in 2027.
- New mayors. Six of the 100 largest cities have elected new mayors so far in 2026, including Los Angeles. See the 2026 mayoral election results.
- Interim leaders. An interim chief or superintendent usually means a search is underway and major decisions may wait for a permanent hire.
How to approach a new leader
- Check your accounts. If a customer's leader changed, reach out to the people who use your product and document the results they rely on.
- Give them time. Most new leaders spend their first weeks listening. Reach out after that window with something useful.
- Read their first plan. Entry plans, strategic plans and first budgets show what the leader intends to fund.
- Know who else is changing. New chiefs and superintendents often bring in their own deputies, CIOs and procurement leads. See our guide to government buyer roles.
How KSG helps
Kensington Sales Group tracks leadership changes in the agencies and districts you sell to and opens low-pressure conversations with new leaders and the staff who stay. See our market intelligence service.