Bonin Names Chiefs of Staff

The following is a press release issued by the office of City Councilman-elect Mike Bonin:

Los Angeles City Councilman-elect Mike Bonin announced Wednesday the hiring of two seasoned political staffers to guide his administration and manage his staff when he takes office July 1.

Bonin, who was elected in March to succeed Bill Rosendahl as representative for the Westside’s 11th District , named Chad Molnar as his chief of staff and Laura McLennan as his deputy chief of staff.

"I need a smart, experienced, top-flight leadership team to help me move Los Angeles forward, do good, and get things done," said Bonin, who has served as Rosendahl’s chief of staff since 2005. "With Chad and Laura, I have a savvy A-Team who know how to make things happen."

Bonin and Molnar began working together in 2003 in the office of U.S. Rep. Jane Harman. Bonin hired Molnar as a field representative and as Harman’s top advisor on port issues and then he Molnar later succeeded Bonin as Harman’s district director. In 2007, Bonin recruited Molnar to join Rosendahl’s staff as the LAX-Community Liaison for District 11. Molnar ran Bonin's city council campaign through orchestrating strategy, messaging, budgeting and staffing.

"There is a reason I keep hiring Chad," Bonin added. "He is incredibly smart, and he has a great heart. I trust him fully, and I rely tremendously on his judgment and counsel."

The first in his Cuban family to be born in the United States, Molnar is fluent in Spanish and a transplant from the east coast. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a B.A. in Political Science.

Bonin said he considers McLennan is one of the smartest and most well-respected staff members in city hall and personally recruited her as Rosendahl’s deputy chief of staff in 2007. She has been the councilman's senior policy advisor, with a keen focus on major issues, such as budget, transportation, public works, and legislative support for district initiatives.

Before joining Rosendahl’s staff, McLennan worked for over seven years as legislative director to City Council President Alex Padilla, overseeing the operation of city council meetings, managing the council agenda and steering Padilla’s legislative agenda. Prior to working in City Hall, McLennan worked as a field representative for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein in her West Los Angeles district office.

"Laura is one of the sharpest and most knowledgeable people in city government," Bonin said. "As my partner on Bill’s staff for seven years, she kept us focused, made us smart and moved us forward. She has won the respect of general managers and elected officials, and knows better than anyone which levers to pull to get things done.”

McLennan is an active Board Member for the Los Angeles chapter of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and serves as chairwoman of the advocacy committee. As chairwoman, Laura leads the grassroots effort to meet the mission of the ADA, which is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

A native of Southern California, McLennan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of San Diego.