BALTIMORE, MD (Monday, October 20, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced changes to key leadership positions within the Mayor's Office, including a new Chief of Staff and a new interim Deputy Mayor for Community and Economic Development.

Effective Monday, December 1, 2025, Current Chief of Staff Calvin Young will shift to the role of interim Deputy Mayor for Community and Economic Development. Deputy Chief of Staff John David "J.D." Merrill will serve as Chief of Staff.

"As Baltimore faces unique and evolving challenges - including renewed economic uncertainty driven by the federal government - these personnel changes will utilize our talent where they're needed most," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "I am so thankful to Calvin for his leadership as Chief of Staff. He has guided our team at City Hall with dedication and commitment, overseeing a transparent budget approval process that closed an $85 million deficit, playing a leading role in negotiating the largest nonprofit PILOT agreement in Baltimore's history, and strengthening our relationships with the business community. He brings this dedication, along with an extensive background in business development and capital access strategy, to his new role. As interim Deputy Mayor, he will have a significant impact on Baltimore's future, at a moment of historic economic opportunity for our city."

"I am also excited to elevate J.D. Merrill to Chief of Staff," Mayor Scott continued. "Since the moment he joined my administration, J.D. has been the ultimate public servant, ready to tackle any challenge or problem with a tenacity that is only rivaled by his ability to bring people together. From helping to shepherd our historic vacants strategy, to navigating complex intergovernmental relations as our on-the-ground leader at the Incident Command Post during the Key Bridge collapse, to his leadership in establishing the Mayor's Office of Overdose Response, J.D. has demonstrated an ability to unlock the highest potential in every part of our administration, while keeping our residents at the forefront of every decision we make."

"I want to thank the Mayor for entrusting me to serve as Chief of Staff to the best team in the City," said Calvin Young. "This administration is well positioned to continue the historic progress we've made, despite federal uncertainty, and I look forward to contributing to that work in this new role. John David has been an incredible partner to me as Deputy Chief of Staff, and I can't express how excited I am for him to serve as the next Chief. He's built for it."

"I am grateful to Mayor Scott and the entire executive team for this opportunity to serve, and appreciate the important work Calvin has done - and will continue to do - as a member of this team," said J.D. Merrill. "I love the City of Baltimore and believe that with Mayor Scott's leadership, the tremendous team he's built, and the incredible residents we serve, we are poised to unlock Baltimore's full potential. But we also know we're facing enormous challenges and uncertainty at the federal level. That means we are going to have to be even more disciplined, more organized, and more prepared than ever to continue delivering results for our residents."

Calvin Young

Mayor Scott's current Chief of Staff Calvin Young will assume the position of interim Deputy Mayor for Community and Economic Development, which has been vacant since the previous Deputy Mayor Justin Williams transitioned to a new position as the inaugural Director of Permitting and Development Services.

Prior to joining the Mayor's Office as a Senior Advisor in September 2024, Young co-founded Green Street Impact Partners, a private equity firm providing growth capital to companies in the education technology and future of work sectors. He also previously worked at Camden Partners and Harbor Bankshares Corporation. Throughout his career he has led over $145 million in investments and financings.

He currently serves on the board of Green Street Academy, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Live Baltimore, West North Avenue Development Authority, and chairs the board of East Baltimore Development, Inc. He also serves on the Business Advisory Committee for the Comptroller of Maryland, and co-chaired the Greater Baltimore Committee's 10-Year Regional Strategy Steering Committee.

Young began his career as an engineer in aircraft health management at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. He has earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from New York University, and his high school diploma from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.

John David "J.D." Merrill

Mayor Scott's Deputy Chief of Staff John David "J.D." Merrill will be promoted to Chief of Staff.

Merrill returned to the Deputy Chief of Staff role after serving as interim Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health, and Human Services between May 2024 and July 2025. He initially joined City Government as Deputy Chief of Staff in July 2023.

As interim Deputy Mayor, Merrill helped launch Baltimore's first office of Overdose Response, Overdose Cabinet, and OverdoseStat, reimagined YouthStat, helped coordinate the Mayor's summer youth engagement strategy, shaped programming at late-night recreation centers, and worked to expand middle school athletics.

As Deputy Chief of Staff, Merrill has supported core functions within the Mayor's Office, including the Mayor's Communications, Correspondence and Constituent Services, Government Relations, Community Affairs, and Scheduling teams, and led special projects to advance the Mayor's agenda, including the Mayor's vacant housing strategy, the Mayor's attendance challenge, and continued to drive the expansion of middle school athletics with Baltimore City Public Schools. He also served as the Mayor's designee at the Unified Command's Incident Command Post following the Key Bridge incident.

Prior to working in City Hall, Merrill spent ten years working with Baltimore City Public Schools as a teacher, district administrator, school administrator, and consultant. He earned his M.S. from Johns Hopkins School of Education, his B.A. from Davidson College, and his high school diploma from Baltimore City College, the third oldest public high school in the United States.