Black Lives Matter activist and former Baltimore mayoral candidate DeRay Mckesson will be starting a new job leading the city's office of human capital for Baltimore City Public Schools, the Baltimore Sun reports.
According to the report, incoming schools CEO Sonja Santelises on Tuesday named Mckesson interim chief human capital officer, the second and most high-profile Cabinet appointment made by Santelises, who begins her own new job Friday.
"He has the depth of knowledge of the system, and he has proved that he can lift the work in a short amount of time," Santelises told the Sun. "And he has proven his dedication to the children of Baltimore."
The Sun notes that Santelises pointed to Mckesson's two-and-a-half years' experience overseeing key reforms as a strategist and special assistant in the same human capital office. McKesson is expected to head the office at least through the fall, the Sun reports.
Mckesson, for his part, said that he is delighted to join the team, applauding Santelises as a "gifted leader."
"At its core, this role is about finding great people, matching them to the right role, and helping them to develop and experience careers in the service of our kids," he said. "I am excited to return to city schools … and to continue doing the work to ensure that every child in Baltimore City receives a world-class education."
McKesson is slated to earn a $165,000 salary, managing a budget of $4 million and 56 employees. The current interim head of human capital, Deborah Sullivan, will be returning to her old job as executive director of organizational development. In a release, the Sun notes, school officials said that they will be searching nationwide for a new chief in the meantime.
The activist's new job is not without its troubles, the Sun notes. The office is plagued with a history of failing to fully staff schools, process paperwork and produce reliable data, the site reports. There were not enough teachers and principals when schools opened last year, and hundreds of staff did not receive their first few paychecks on time.
Read more at the Baltimore Sun.