County executive’s chief of staff is leaving

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.’s chief of staff is leaving and will be replaced by Dori Henry, the deputy chief and Olszewski’s communications director.

Pat Murray, who has been with the Democratic county executive’s administration since Olszewski took office in December 2018, departs in mid-September.

Murray is the latest top aide to leave as Olszewski’s current term winds down. The departure of Drew Vetter, the deputy county administrative officer, was announced last month.

Democrat Olszewski is seeking reelection and faces Republican Pat McDonough in the Nov. 8 general election.

Murray told The Baltimore Sun on Thursday he hasn’t decided on his next move. He said he plans to continue teaching political science at McDaniel College, where he is a senior adjunct lecturer, and “may pick up a writing project.”

“This was a challenging job before the pandemic,” Murray said in an email. “It got exponentially harder over the past two and a half years. Like millions of others who are part of the Great Resignation, I am going to take some time off before I make any career decisions.”

Murray previously served as chief of staff to the late Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and as executive director of the Maryland Democratic Party, among other jobs in politics.

His county salary is about $180,000.

In a statement, Olszewski said Murray has “played an integral role in helping to build our team and manage our way through unanticipated and unprecedented fiscal and public health crises.”

Henry has been named interim chief of staff starting Sept. 15 with a salary of about $180,000.

Henry previously oversaw communications for the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her past experience also includes roles with the federal labor and justice departments, as well as the state’s health and labor agencies.

“She is a strategic thinker and a dedicated public servant who is uniquely qualified to serve as chief of staff,” the county executive said.