Bridgeport, CT – Rev. Dr. Herron Keyon Gaston has announced he will be taking the position of Vice President for External Affairs and Chief of Staff at the University of Bridgeport and will resign as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Bridgeport, effective Friday, August 18, 2023. Gaston was hired under the Ganim Administration in November 2019 and has been serving as a Senator for the State of Connecticut since January 2023. His position at the University of Bridgeport will initially be a phased in process in order for him to continue in a transitional role here at the Chief Administrative Office.

Gaston’s accomplishments as an Assistant Chief Administrative Officer of Bridgeport are far and wide. Some of those accomplishments include Gaston’s ability to oversee, participate, and lead the accreditation process on behalf of the Bridgeport Health Department in securing its very first accreditation; making Bridgeport amongst the first in the state to achieve this high standard in health. He was the lead liaison for the City while working in partnership with federal, state, and local community partners to address homelessness, facilitated permanent housing solutions, and decompressed homeless shelters to place the most vulnerable members into temporary housing. Gaston has also advocated for and solidified the Department of Justice Second Chance Grant that was awarded to the City in October 2020 in the amount of $680k to assist formally incarcerated individuals across the City to improve their quality of life.

Mayor Ganim stated, “I want to thank Rev. Dr. Herron Keyon Gaston for his unwavering dedication to the City of Bridgeport during his time as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer. He’s been a pivotal asset to our City and his advocacy has been an integral part of our City’s push forward. We will miss the leadership he encompassed and wish him well on his new endeavors. We’re more than confident that Herron will surpass expectations in his new role.”

The City of Bridgeport is currently hiring for the positions of Director of Public Health and Deputy Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development. There will be an opening for the role of Assistant Chief Administrative Officer in the upcoming weeks. To inquire about these positions, visit bridgeportct.gov/careers.