RELEASE: Mayor-Elect David Morales Names Jennifer Wood Chief of Staff and Krystle Lindberg Chief Financial Officer
From The Office of Mayor Elect David Morales
Mayor-Elect David Morales today named Jennifer Wood as his chief of staff and Krystle Lindberg as Providence’s next chief financial officer. Wood leads the Rhode Island Center for Justice. Lindberg, the city’s deputy finance director, will succeed Lawrence J. Mancini, who is retiring.
“We ran on a promise to make Providence a city that working families can afford and feel safe calling home. I asked Jenn to serve as my Chief of Staff because she has spent her career fighting for the very people we are determined to serve,” said Mayor-Elect David Morales. “From leading at the highest levels of state government to standing shoulder to shoulder with neighbors organizing for justice, Jenn has dedicated decades turning the promise of change into meaningful action. Her extraordinary experience in law, government, and nonprofit leadership is matched by her deep commitment to our neighbors in Providence. I could not be more excited to have her by my side as we build an administration that puts working people first and delivers a Providence for all.”
Wood brings more than 35 years of experience in public interest law and government. She spent nine years as chief of staff and chief legal counsel at the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and eight as chief of staff and general counsel to Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts.
Since 2017, Wood has led the Center for Justice, a nonprofit law center that works alongside community organizers to defend tenants facing eviction, protect workers’ rights, and provide legal help to immigrant families. Through the Center for Justice and the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, Wood has been on the front lines of affirmative litigation to hold the Trump administration accountable. Wood graduated from Brown University and Northeastern University School of Law.
“David Morales’ energizing campaign gave working people in Providence hope for the future,” said Wood. “Now comes the hard work of turning campaign promises into results, and I’m honored to work with him to make that happen. I’m proud of what we’ve built at the Center for Justice alongside tenants, workers, and community organizers. In Mayor-Elect Morales, they’ll have a champion at City Hall. Building a Providence for all takes a team ready to tackle tough challenges. That work starts today.”
Lindberg joined Providence’s finance department as a fiscal supervisor in 2015, served as city and school controller, and became deputy finance director in 2020. In that role, she has served as the staff lead for developing and presenting the city’s budget, working closely with city departments, the mayor, and the City Council to prepare and pass a balanced budget each year. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Roger Williams University.
“Krystle brings an exceptional understanding of Providence’s finances and over a decade of experience helping our city navigate complex budget challenges,” said Mayor-Elect David Morales. “Her expertise and creative thinking will be invaluable as we work to make Providence more affordable for working families, strengthen city services, and invest in our neighborhoods. I look forward to working alongside Krystle to build an administration that manages our city’s finances responsibly while making meaningful investments that improve the lives of our neighbors. I also want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Larry Mancini for dedicating four decades of his life to serving Providence. Through some of our city’s most difficult financial challenges, Larry has provided steady leadership, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to public service. Our city is better because of his contributions, and I wish him a wonderful and well-deserved retirement.
“It’s an honor to take on this role in a city I’ve spent more than a decade serving,” said Lindberg. “I’m grateful to Mayor-Elect Morales for his trust, to Chief Mancini for his guidance, and to the colleagues I’ve been lucky to work with for so many years. Our team has made the city’s budget easier to follow with an online platform anyone can explore. We’ll build on that commitment to transparency and accountability in the coming term. I’m excited to help Mayor-Elect Morales develop a budget that reflects the administration’s values, meets Providence’s needs, and invests in the services our neighbors count on.”
