Gov. Wes Moore names Maryland's new chief of staff

Konner Metz, The Baltimore Sun on Nov 5, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BALTIMORE — Manny Welsh, principal deputy chief of staff and chief administrative officer for Gov. Wes Moore, is replacing Lester Davis as Moore’s chief of staff effective immediately, the governor’s office announced Thursday.

The announcement comes days after Moore was reelected for a second term.

Davis was appointed interim CEO of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, or TEDCO, according to the news release. Davis had served as Moore’s chief of staff since Oct. 15, 2025.

Moore did not disclose Welsh’s upcoming salary, but he made $250,000 while principal deputy chief of staff, according to data by The Baltimore Sun.

Lester Davis made $281,000 in the role last year. Fagan Harris, who left in 2024 to become president of the Baltimore-based nonprofit Abell Foundation, made $278,000 in the role that year.

Welsh has served as Moore’s principal deputy chief of staff and the state’s first chief administrative officer since October 2025. In that role, he managed day-to-day operations of the executive branch. Before his promotion, Welsh was deputy chief of staff, overseeing several policy areas and state agencies, including economic development, social equity, and alcohol, tobacco and cannabis regulation.

“His encyclopedic knowledge on how to pull the levers of state bureaucracy to tackle complex problems and find innovative solutions is exactly what Maryland needs right now,” Moore said in the statement. “I’ve relied on his sage advice for years, and I know he will help us deliver for the people of Maryland as we head into our second term.”

Davis makes jump to TEDCO

Davis said it’s “the opportunity of a lifetime” to lead TEDCO, an organization which provides financial support to startup businesses in Maryland.

“TEDCO is where this state’s economic agenda becomes lasting: backing new companies, supporting entrepreneurs in every region, and getting research out of the lab and into the market,” Davis said. “I look forward to getting to work alongside the TEDCO team and our partners.”

“Lester brings steady, experienced leadership at an important moment for TEDCO,” said David Tohn, chair of the TEDCO Board of Directors. “His experience across government and the private sector will help ensure TEDCO’s programs, investments and service to Maryland’s entrepreneurs continue without interruption while the Board completes its work.”

Moore thanked Davis for tackling “some of the longest standing, thorniest problems” in state government, commending his “integrity, discipline, and heart.”

--------------