Mayor Mike Johnston has appointed attorney Emily Garnett as Denver’s new chief operating officer.
She will oversee the operations of both the mayor’s office and other agencies under his leadership and build relationships with the Denver City Council.
Garnett will replace Janel Forde, who left the job in June 2025 to become the University of Colorado Boulder’s senior vice chancellor for operations.
Most recently, Garnett served as interim chief of staff, when the mayor’s chief of staff, Jenn Ridder, recently went on parental leave.
Now, Ridder has resumed her job, and Garnett will take on the new role.
“Emily has been an exceptional leader for our team over the past several months,” Johnston said in a statement. “She stepped up to keep major priorities moving forward and ensure we stayed focused on delivering real results for Denver.”
Prior to working for the city, Garnett was a partner with the high-profile law firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. She has served as legal counsel for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Garnett, who is married to former Speaker of the House Alec Garnett, advised Johnston when he served in the state Senate.
“Emily brings strong management skills and a keen ability to drive innovation and operational efficiency, and I’m grateful for her continued leadership as Chief Operating Officer,” Johnston wrote.
