NEW ORLEANS – Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño, the highest-ranking deputy in Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration and the longest-serving CAO in New Orleans history, will step down at the end of August.
Montaño, who has held the post since Cantrell took office in 2018, said the decision was driven by family considerations and a belief that “it’s time for the next person” to lead. He will remain at City Hall through September to assist with the transition.
“A wave of emotions comes across,” said Gilbert Montaño. “One of my favorite and most telling pieces of life is ‘Theodore Roosevelt is in the arena’ and this team here, this Mayor, has been in the arena for many, many years.”
The city announced that Deputy CAO Joe Threat will be promoted to the top administrative position, while infrastructure administrator LaNitrah Hasan will assume the deputy CAO role. Threat, who has focused on public works and capital projects, is expected to provide continuity as the Cantrell administration enters its final months.
Montaño’s departure comes about five months before the end of Cantrell’s second term. He stressed that the move was not tied to any of the controversies that have surrounded the administration, including recent federal charges related to ticketed events.
“This is one of the greatest cities in the world and I’m so proud to have been part of, I hope, making it a little better,” said Montaño.
As CAO, Montaño oversaw the city’s day-to-day operations and budget, playing a central role in crisis response during the COVID-19 pandemic, the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, and years of infrastructure and public safety challenges. He also managed the city’s allocation of $388 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and chaired the City Council’s Drainage Consolidation Working Group in 2023.
Cantrell praised Montaño’s tenure, calling him “the backbone of City Hall” and noting that his more than seven years in the position marked the longest of any CAO in New Orleans history.
