San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today named a staff member for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to head the city’s Department of the Environment.
Melanie Nutter has served as a deputy district director for Pelosi since 2005 and helped develop policy on issues including the environment, energy, transportation and food, according to the mayor’s office.
Newsom said in a statement that Nutter “brings years of experience and stewardship on environmental policy.”
“Her knowledge of government and her role in building coalitions to promote major environmental policy initiatives will be invaluable as we chart our city’s efforts toward a greener, more sustainable environment and green jobs economy,” Newsom said.
Nutter is also chair of the Energy and Environment Circle for the Full Circle Fund, a community leadership group that works to develop partnerships between nonprofits, businesses and government, according to the mayor’s office.
She is a member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, the influential governing body of the local Democratic Party.
Nutter replaces David Assmann, who was named acting director of the environment department after former director Jared Blumenfeld left to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2009.
