Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon announced the first member of his senior leadership team today: Laura Bustamante will serve as his Chief of Staff.

Bustamante has deep roots in Jersey City, having previously served as Solomon’s Chief of Staff  during his time in City Council. She was also the Political Director and Deputy State Director covering North Jersey for US Senator Andy Kim.

"I am thrilled to announce Laura Bustamante will return to Jersey City as my Chief of Staff. Her extensive experience and deep commitment to public service will be vital as we work to create an affordable Jersey City that serves all our residents,” Mayor-elect James Solomon said.  “Laura’s innovative approach to community engagement and her dedication to transparency and inclusivity will ensure that our administration builds a City where everyone has a voice and an opportunity to succeed."

“James campaigned on creating an affordable Jersey City and I am honored to help him deliver on that vision. I am dedicated to building a City Hall that reflects the needs of our entire community and is ready for action from day one,” said Bustamante.  “My experiences in strategic engagement and grassroots organizing have shown me the power of community voices, and I’m eager to ensure that they play a central role in our initiatives. We will work on creating a government that prioritizes transparency and community involvement, addressing concerns, and enhancing participation among historically underrepresented groups. Together, we can create a Jersey City where everyone has a seat at the table and an opportunity to succeed.”

Senator Andy Kim added, “I’ve loved my time working with Laura on our campaign and in building our Senate office. She has become a rising star and next generation leader in our state. I’m excited for this next phase to have her and James as partners in serving the people of Jersey City.”

About Laura Bustamante

Laura Bustamante, is a dedicated professional with a strong commitment to public service, demonstrated through her extensive experience at various levels of government, political campaigns, strategic consulting, and grassroots organizing. As the Deputy State Director and Political Director for the U.S Senator Andy Kim she has quickly established herself as one of the Garden State’s most influential political operatives. In her current role as Deputy State Director she leads strategic engagement on behalf of the Senator on key issues including transportation, immigration and labor engagement. Laura grounds her work in bringing transparent and good government to all communities across the state. As the Senator’s Political Director she was credited for being an instrumental part of helping Senator Kim secure his historic election victory in November 2024 by building a people-powered movement across the state. Bustamante started her career with now Mayor-elect James Solmon by working as an intern on his campaign and then serving as his first Chief of Staff and Deputy Campaign Manager on Solomon's re-election campaign in 2021. Since then, the Colombian native has compiled an impressive record of successful campaigns, including victories for now Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, and Dover Councilwomen Karol Ruiz. Before joining Senator Kim’s team, she served as Vice President at Tonio Burgos & Associates, one of New Jersey’s most influential lobbying firms. Bustamante’s political acumen and community impact have earned her significant recognition. She was recently ranked No. 10 on the 2024 LGBTQ+ OUT 100 Power List, shortly after being recognized as a rising star in 2022 on Insider NJ’s LGBTQ+ Power List. Her commitment to expanding political participation across overlooked communities is evident in her work in Union County, where she helped organize and improve Latino voter turnout for a fast-growing and increasingly powerful voter demographic as well as the LGBTQ+ community where she currently serves on the Board of Hudson Pride Center and previously served on the Board of Garden State Equality and was on the Steering Committee of Latino Action Network. Laura is the first in her family to go to college and holds a Master of Public Administration & Public Policy and a Master of Science in Protection Management with a specialization in emergency management in urban cities from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, along with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science & National Security from New Jersey City University.