Glastonbury Resident Named Governor's New Chief of Staff

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced that he is appointing Glastonbury's Paul Mounds to serve as his chief of staff.

Mounds will succeed Ryan Drajewicz as chief of staff. Drajewicz is departing the administration as part of a planned transition. When Drajewicz assumed the role at the beginning of the Lamont administration, he agreed to serve for one year.

"Paul is incredibly talented and one of the hardest working people with whom I've had the opportunity to work, and I am excited to have him serving in this new capacity and helping to guide our administration in our efforts to grow our economy, add jobs, streamline government, and stay true to our core mission of serving the people of Connecticut," Lamont said, noting that Mounds will become the first African-American to serve as chief of staff to a Connecticut governor. "I appreciate Ryan’s dedication and service to our state. He has been an important partner as we began our administration and I thank him for being a partner in our efforts to lead our office."

Mounds has served as the state’s chief operating officer since the beginning of the Lamont administration in January 2019. Prior to joining the governor’s office, Mounds was vice president of policy and communications for the Connecticut Health Foundation, where he was responsible for the foundation’s work to inform and educate policymakers on issues related to health equity, as well as its policy and communications activities.

He also served as senior director of public policy and government relations for Governor Dannel P. Malloy, during which he managed public policy development and the legislative program for the administration. He also previously worked for U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal as deputy state director for outreach, and began his career in public service as the federal grants coordinator and press assistant, and eventually communications director for U.S. Rep John B. Larson.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Trinity College. He was born in Hartford, raised in East Hartford, and lives in Glastonbury.

"Serving in Governor Lamont's administration has given me an opportunity to give back to the state in which I was raised and continue to call home," Mounds said. "I am honored by the governor's confidence in me and believe that working collaboratively, we can bring about the effective changes that will make Connecticut stronger and in a better position for the next generation."