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Syracuse Mayor-Elect Sharon Owens will appoint Corey Driscoll Dunham to serve as her deputy mayor, she announced Friday.

As deputy mayor — Owens’ current position under Mayor Ben Walsh — Dunham will report directly to Owens, overseeing departments such as Human Resources, IT, Digital Services and Communications and will also work closely with the Chiefs of Police and Fire.

Dunham is the city’s chief administrative officer, overseeing departments such as the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Research.

Owens said she selected Dunham for her “knowledge of City operations across multiple departments” and “history of community engagement” deputy mayor in a Friday release.

Dunham previously served as chief operating officer, supervising departments including Public Works, Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs and the city’s water department. In this position, she helped the Walsh administration advance initiatives like sidewalk snow removal and union negotiations, the release states.

In 2016, Dunham also worked in the office of the New York Attorney General and has held positions at Cornell University and Syracuse University, according to the release.

Dunham said the current moment is a time of “growth and transformation” for the city, calling her appointment an “honor.”

“I look forward to continuing to work alongside Mayor-Elect Owens … to build a government that further improves its responsiveness, transparency, and focus on enhancing the quality of life for everyone who lives, works, and plays in Syracuse,” Dunham said in the release.

Owens and Dunham will assume office Jan. 1.

Published on December 12, 2025 at 3:17 pm