Mayor Ganim Taps Bridgeport Natives

To Key Roles in City Government

Bridgeport, CT— Today, Mayor Ganim announced that he was advancing several Bridgeport natives to serve in key roles in his Administration, including the Office of Policy and Management, the Office of Civil Service, and the Mayor’s Office. Each of these appointees bring experience to their respective roles and a level of dedication to public service that will benefit the residents of Bridgeport.

     Patricia St. Louis—Director of the Office of Policy and Management

Patricia St. Louis, a Certified Public Accountant, has continuously served the City of Bridgeport since 2014 in various critical financial capacities. Most recently, she served as the Manager of Budget and Financial Reporting for the Board of Education, overseeing a $250 million operating budget, and stepped up as the Interim CFO for the BOE in 2024. Her extensive municipal background includes previous roles as the City’s Chief Accountant and Assistant Purchasing Agent. Prior to her work in Bridgeport, she gained valuable private sector financial experience at American Express and Canon USA. St. Louis earned her MBA in Finance from Fairfield University and her BBA in Accounting from Baruch College. In addition to being a licensed CPA, she is a Certified School Business Administrator in the state of Connecticut.

Patricia St. Louis will officially begin her appointment as Director of the Office of Policy & Management on October 5, 2026.

    Thomas McCarthy—Personnel Director (Office of Civil Service)

Thomas C. McCarthy brings a wealth of municipal labor relations and human resources

experience to his nomination, alongside deep, long-standing ties to the Bridgeport community where he currently resides. McCarthy served on the Bridgeport City Council for 17 years—10 years as City Council President. Professionally, he dedicated 16 years to Bridgeport’s Office of Labor Relations. He later served as Labor Relations Director for three years for the City of New Haven, and has been serving for over six years as Director of Human Resources, Civil Service, and Labor Relations in Trumbull. Highly active in civic life, McCarthy was honored as the Grand Marshal of the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and most recently served as the 2026 Barnum Festival Ringmaster. 

McCarthy’s nomination will be transmitted to the Civil Service Commission for ratification, with an anticipated appointment date of October 13, 2026.

    Constance Vickers—Director of Communications and External Affairs

Vickers—a resident of downtown Bridgeport—most recently served the City of Bridgeport as the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer. Vickers’s previous roles with the City include Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Legislative Affairs. Vickers brings a wealth of knowledge of local and state government to the position, as well as strong connections with various non-profit and advocacy organizations around the state. She has served on various boards on behalf of the City, most notably the CT Conference of Municipalities, and played a key role in Bridgeport’s launch of the American Rescue Plan. Vickers is a Bridgeport homeowner and a proud alumna of the University of Bridgeport.

In her new role, she will lead the Communications Department, while also serving as liaison to the state legislative delegation and other community stakeholders and organizations. Her appointment is effective Monday, September 21.

     Shana Jelks Young—Community Liaison in the Office of the Mayor

Shana Jelks is a lifelong Bridgeport resident who has a significant amount of experience in customer service and constituent relations. Jelks worked for the United Illuminating Company for fourteen years before joining Bridgeport’s Department of Public Facilities.

During her time with the City, Jelks was tasked with helping to manage and respond to citizen requests. Among her strong community ties is her strong involvement with Gateway to Heaven Ministry on East Main Street, serving as a volunteer helping some of Bridgeport’s most vulnerable residents access food and other necessities.

In her new role, she will serve as Community Liaison for the Office of the Mayor and assist with tasks in the Communications Office. Her appointment is effective Monday, September 21.

“Each of these leaders brings a remarkable track record of public service and a deep, personal commitment to Bridgeport,” said Mayor Joseph P. Ganim. “From managing city finances and labor relations to driving state-level advocacy and supporting our most vulnerable residents, Patricia, Tom, Constance, and Shana represent the very best of our local talent. I am thrilled to welcome them into these key positions as we build a stronger, more responsive city government.”