Honolulu Mayor Appoints TV Journalist As New Chief Of Staff
Andy Sugg returns to Oahu after a stint in Boston media.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi has hired Andy Sugg as his new chief of staff, filling the hole left in January when former chief of staff Sam Moku became the city鈥檚 homelessness coordinator.
Sugg comes from a long career in television news that spans from Hawaii to Boston.
鈥淎s Chief of Staff, he will play a pivotal role in advancing the Mayor鈥檚 vision for the city and ensuring effective governance,鈥 according to a press release issued Wednesday. 鈥淗is background in media and his familiarity with the intricacies of city affairs make him well-suited to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.鈥
Sugg was most recently managing editor of NBC Boston, a role he started in 2017. Before that, he worked with Blangiardi at Hawaii News Now, where he was executive producer from 2013 to 2016.
鈥淎s a trusted former colleague, I can say without any reservation that Andy鈥檚 extensive experience and profound understanding of our communities are invaluable,鈥 Blangiardi said in the press release.
This is the latest in a series of government appointments and vacancies.
Moku was put in charge of homelessness services for Honolulu in January. He replaced Rep. Trish La Chica, who held the position in 2022 and聽was later appointed聽by Governor Josh Green to fill an empty House seat in early 2023.
La Chica replaced former Rep. Ryan Yamane, who was tapped for deputy director of the state Department of Human Resources Development soon after Green became governor in late 2022.
Sugg鈥檚 first official day of work was Thursday.
