Mayor Mike Johnston has tapped two familiar faces to lead major city agencies, nominating Adrina Gibson to head the Department of General Services and Al Gardner to take over the Department of Safety. Both appointments need City Council approval.

Gibson, currently Deputy Executive Director of General Services, would step up to lead the department that manages 6.2 million square feet of city buildings, from courthouses to recreation centers. Her responsibilities would also include contracts, purchasing, energy programs, security, and the sale of surplus property. Since joining the department in 2024, she has streamlined contracting processes, increased purchasing thresholds, and enhanced safety measures. Before that, she directed Denver’s Division of Small Business Opportunity, overseeing $1.6 billion in payments to minority-, women-, and disadvantaged-owned firms and spearheading a rewrite of the city’s small business ordinance.

A Denver native and award-winning diversity leader, Gibson began her career at RTD, rising from intern to head of the Small Business Office. Looking ahead, she said she wants to “build on recent progress and continue to make city services more efficient, equitable, and sustainable.”

Gardner, who currently serves as Deputy Mayor and General Services chief, is set to shift into the city’s top safety role. If confirmed, he will oversee the Denver Police, Fire, Sheriff, 911, and Community Corrections departments. He would replace Armando Saldate, who left in July to lead the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

A longtime civic leader and tech executive, Gardner has served on the Denver African American Commission, the Civil Service Commission, and the Citizens Oversight Board, where he worked on discipline reviews and reforms. He said he’s ready for the challenge: “Together we will drive innovation, uphold public trust, and make sure our safety teams have the support they need to protect every resident.”

Johnston praised both picks, calling Gibson “a proven innovator who advances equity and results” and Gardner “a trusted leader who will strengthen safety and public trust.”

DWN

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