Mayor Brandon M. Scott Announces New Appointments, Personnel Changes

BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, December 30, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced several new appointments and hires within the Mayor's Office, including promotions and a new hire within the Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (MOACE).

Beginning December 2025, interim Director of Communications Tracy Falon King fully assumed the role of Director of Communications, serving as a member of the Mayor's executive team and Cabinet, Press Secretary Silas Woods III was promoted to Deputy Director of Communications, Noell West fully assumed the role of Assistant Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, and Dana P. Moore now serves as Senior Advisor for Boards and Commissions. On January 5, 2026, Bria Sterling-Wilson will begin as Deputy Director of the Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment.

"I'm proud to have so many dedicated public servants on my team, who share a commitment to improving the lives of Baltimore residents," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "The appointments and new hire we're announcing today will help us invest in our young people, support our thriving arts community, communicate with those we serve more effectively, and drive our city's Renaissance forward."

Tracy Falon King

Interim Director of Communications Tracy Falon King will fully assume the role of Director of Communications and serve as a member of the Mayor's executive team and Cabinet. King joined Mayor Scott's Communications team as Deputy Director of Communications in March 2025.

King has over ten years of experience in communications and government affairs. Prior to joining City Government, she served as director of outreach communications at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), handling all constituency earned and paid media, and served as the communications lead for all 17 caucus and council chairs within the party.

Prior to working at the DNC, Tracy served as director of communications for The Collective PAC, communications manager at Campaign Legal Center, and spent nearly seven years working for the City of Buffalo, New York. While working in Buffalo for Mayor Byron W. Brown, she served in various communications roles in the Mayor's Office, the Office of New Americans, and the Buffalo Sewer and Water Authority.

King has also worked as a staffer for local, state, and national political campaigns, developing public relations campaign strategies and coordinating event logistics. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and a Master of Science degree in Public Relations Management from SUNY Buffalo State University in Buffalo, NY. She is a native of Buffalo, NY and a proud and active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Silas Woods III

Press Secretary and Communications Advisor Silas Woods III will be promoted to Deputy Director of Communications. Woods also joined Baltimore City Government in March 2025.

In his time as Principal Press Secretary and Communications Advisor, Woods has helped evolve the Mayor's communications team and has overseen a portfolio that includes coordinating media logistics, emergency response, and community engagement.

Prior to joining the Mayor's Office, Woods served as the Deputy Director of Press Operations in Vice President Kamala Harris's Office, having previously served as Personal Aide to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and his Deputy Director of Special Projects.

During his tenure in the Biden-Harris administration, Woods served in a variety of communications and research roles, including as a Press Assistant in the White House Press Office and in the Office of the Counsel to Vice President Kamala Harris, rising to the position of Associate Director of Research.

Following his graduation from Howard University with a B.A. in Political Science, Woods worked as a Senior Research Associate for American Bridge 21st Century, a not-for-profit political research and rapid response organization, and then for the Democratic National Committee in support of the 2020 Biden-Harris Campaign. Woods is a native of Chicago, IL and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Noell West

Noell West will serve as Assistant Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. West previously served as interim Assistant Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health, and Human Services, managing interagency collaboration across multiple city departments and initiatives, including the Baltimore City Health Department, the Mayor's Office of African American Male Engagement, and City Schools. She also played a leading role in implementing Mayor Scott's Summer Youth Engagement Strategy (SYE), which has garnered national attention for achieving a 66% reduction in youth violence in the summer months, ensuring that young people have safe, supportive, and equitable opportunities across the city.

Prior to her current position, West served as Chief of Policy and Partnerships within the Mayor's Office of Children and Family Success, where she led youth-focused initiatives, developed impactful public policies, and strengthened relationships with community stakeholders. She spearheaded annual youth-led events, including the LeadHership Summit, Mayor Scott's Youth Sports Banquet, and Back-to-School giveaway. She also authored and passed the new Baltimore City Youth Commission Bill in 2024.

In her new role, she will serve as the leader within the Mayor's Office for all youth strategy and engagement initiatives, advancing citywide strategies that reflect the Mayor's vision of a Baltimore where all youth are safe, supported, and celebrated.

Dana P. Moore

Dana P. Moore will serve as Senior Advisor for Boards and Commissions. She previously served as Senior Advisor for Key Bridge Response and Recovery and as the City of Baltimore's first-ever Chief Equity Officer. She simultaneously served as the Director of the Baltimore City Office of Equity and Civil Rights.

Moore is the first woman to serve as Baltimore City's Acting City Solicitor, a role she assumed in March 2020. In this role, she led the City's legal response to the pandemic, helping to convert the Baltimore Convention Center into a field hospital, establishing testing sites throughout the city, and negotiating terms to convert hotels into respite sites. She also led efforts to settle numerous gun trace task force claims, drove the city's pursuit of litigation against opioid companies forward, and advanced the City's compliance with the police consent decree. Prior to serving as Acting City Solicitor, Moore served as Deputy City Solicitor, a role in which she also made history as the first woman to hold the position.

Before entering public service, Moore was a full equity partner at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, defending clients in mass tort litigation. She led teams litigating matters in Maryland and District of Columbia courts, and represented the City of Baltimore in precedent-setting federal litigation. She advised numerous mayors on a variety of legal matters.

Moore is deeply involved in the Baltimore community. Her public service includes appointments to the City of Baltimore Ethics Board, Liquor Board, and Planning Commission. She has served on numerous non-profit boards, including Mother Seton Academy, the Bates College Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors of the Monumental City Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the Elijah Cummings Youth Program, and Marian House, Inc. She currently serves as president of the Baltimore Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. She also serves on the board of directors of the Caroline Center.

Moore earned her bachelor's degree in English from Bates College and her juris doctorate from Washington & Lee University School of Law. She has been recognized for her leadership in the field of law, and is a member of the Daily Record's "Circle of Excellence" having been honored as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women three times. She is most proud of the women she has mentored and supported in their own efforts to be selected for "Top 100" recognition.

She is married to Ralph E. Moore, Jr., activist and occasional columnist for the Afro-American Newspaper. They reside in one of Charles Village's most colorful "painted lady" homes, have two amazing daughters, and four amazing grandchildren.

Bria Sterling-Wilson

Bria Sterling-Wilson is a Baltimore-based arts administrator, cultural worker, and award-winning artist whose work centers community storytelling, archives, and creative engagement. Prior to joining the Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment, she built a distinguished career through nationally recognized exhibitions, institutional partnerships, and public-facing creative projects. She has presented solo exhibitions at leading venues such as Loyola University's Julio Fine Arts Gallery, Waller Gallery, Band of Vices in Los Angeles, and the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower. Her work has also been featured in major group exhibitions including The Armory Show in New York City and shows curated by cultural leaders such as Dr. Myrtis Bedolla, Derrick Adams, and Teri Henderson.

Sterling-Wilson's artistic practice and leadership have earned multiple honors, including being a finalist for both the 2025 Trawick Prize and the 2025 Baker Artist Award, receiving the Red Bull Arts Microgrant, and completing several competitive artist residencies. Most recently, she completed a month-long residency at the Bed-Stuy Artist Residency in New York City, served as an Artist-in-Residence at Loyola University's Julio Gallery, and holds a multi-year residency at the Creative Alliance. Her artwork and community-centered projects have been covered by EBONY Magazine, WBAL-TV, WJZ-TV, BmoreArt, the Baltimore Banner, Sisters From AARP, and others. Her work is also included in the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center's permanent collection.

As Deputy Director of the Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment, Sterling-Wilson envisions strengthening Baltimore's creative ecosystem by expanding access to the arts, uplifting local storytellers, and deepening collaboration with neighborhoods, cultural organizations, and the film community. Her priorities include advancing impactful arts programming, supporting Baltimore's cultural workers, growing the city's film and digital media presence, and championing partnerships that amplify the city's diverse creative voices.

Her commitment to this work is deeply rooted in her love for Baltimore. The people, history, and creative resilience is unmatched. She believes that investing in arts and culture is essential to building a more connected, vibrant, and equitable city.

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