Moore Announces New Deputy Chiefs Of Staff, As Staff Changes Continue

By Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters

October 28, 2025

Changes continue in senior leadership under Gov. Wes Moore (D), with the announcement Tuesday of two new deputy chiefs of staff.

The appointments of Michael Huber and Chichi Nyagah-Nash follow Monday’s announcement that two of Moore’s senior staff were leaving the office. The changes are part of a reorganization under Lester Davis, Moore’s new chief of staff.

Nyagah-Nash, the deputy secretary of the Department of General Services, joins the second floor on Wednesday to take over for Shaina Hernandez, who is leaving to run the Baltimore Public Markets Corp.

In her role as deputy chief of staff, Nyagah-Nash will oversee environmental protection, transportation, general services, information technology and energy. She earned her undergraduate degree from Alliant International University and her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Huber, an attorney who is currently the director of government affairs at Johns Hopkins University, is expected to join the Moore administration on Nov. 12. He will oversee economic development, workforce development, housing, insurance regulation, public health, education and human services.

Prior to his work at Hopkins, Huber was chief of staff to two Baltimore City Council presidents and to Mayor Brandon Scott. He also served on then-Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown’s unsuccessful 2014 campaign for governor.

Monteiro to depart service year program, Dorsey to take over as acting secretary

He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Nyagah-Nash and Huber fill vacancies created by the departures of Hernandez and Jonny Dorsey, two departing deputy chiefs of staff.

Moore’s office announced Monday that Dorsey, part of the administration since 2023, had been named acting secretary of the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation to replace outgoing Secretary Paul Monteiro. He was the first to lead the department that was created when Moore took office, part of his signature legislative effort to create a paid service-year program.

Dorsey takes over from Monteiro on Nov. 12.

The Baltimore Banner reported that Hernandez is leaving to become CEO and president of the Baltimore Public Markets Corp., effective in January. Moore’s office did not publicly announce or confirm Hernandez’s departure on Monday.

The moves are the latest in a series that has seen nearly a dozen senior staff and Cabinet secretaries leave Moore’s administration in advance of his 2026 reelection bid.

The changes also come as Davis takes over as chief of staff from Fagan Harris, who continues as an adviser to Moore but is set to join the Abell Foundation as the next president and CEO of the Baltimore philanthropic organization. Harris begins that job after the first of the year.