Nearly two years into her first term, Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak is losing a fourth key adviser.
This time it’s her chief of staff, Erin Jacobsen, whose last day is February 6. She plans to work as an immigration attorney, according to a city press release announcing the move.
“This has been a deeply personal and values-driven decision for Erin,” Mulvaney-Stanak, a Progressive, said in a statement. “Immigration justice has always been her passion, and at this moment in our state and country, that work is urgently needed.”
The city described Jacobsen’s departure as a “long-discussed decision.” She previously worked in immigration law, as a professor at Vermont Law & Graduate School and as an assistant attorney general for Vermont. She served as Mulvaney-Stanak’s campaign treasurer before joining the mayor’s administration.
Jacobsen’s resignation comes after three others in the mayor’s immediate circle left their posts in October: Joe Magee, the deputy chief of staff; Sarah Russell, the special assistant to end homelessness; and Ingrid Jonas, the senior adviser on community safety. Magee has been replaced by Jen Monroe Zakaras, while Russell’s position remains unfilled. Jonas was hired on a temporary basis and won’t be replaced.
“This is really tough work; it’s pretty fast and furious,” Zakaras said on Friday. “And, at some point, folks might need to take a break or move on to other things. That’s just the nature of the work. The mayor is fully supportive of people approaching their lives in a way that makes the most sense for them.”
Kara Alnasrawi, the director of the city’s Community & Economic Development Office, will serve as interim chief of staff.
Alnasrawi joined city government in December 2019 when former mayor Miro Weinberger appointed her executive director of the Church Street Marketplace. At the time, Alnasrawi owned Liebling, a women’s boutique on College Street. She was later named the city’s director of business and workforce development before taking over CEDO last year during a merger of departments.
The latest shake-up comes as Burlington officials prepare for another difficult budget season that will involve cuts to city spending and, almost certainly, layoffs. The Queen City is facing a budget gap of as much as $12 million as officials prepare to create a spending plan for fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1. Fissures are already beginning to emerge between Democratic and Progressive city councilors over how to address the shortfall.
Other big challenges ahead this year include trying to open the city’s first overdose-prevention center. The city is also moving forward with the process of hiring a permanent police chief. Interim Chief Shawn Burke has previously said he does not intend to seek the permanent post.
Democrats hold an advantage on the council and have since Mulvaney-Stanak took office in April 2024. She has about a year left on her term, with the next mayoral election scheduled for March 2027.
“This was not an easy decision, but at this moment for our country and community, I feel called to return to immigration law,” Jacobsen said in a statement. “Working alongside Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak and this incredible administration has been a truly remarkable experience. I am deeply proud of what we’ve built together, and I will truly miss this team.”
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