• Liao’s focus to be reimagining the way residents and businesses interact with city government from accessing basic services to licensing and permitting 
• Liao previously led successful restructuring of customer services for the Michigan Secretary of State, greatly streamlining service delivery 
• Mayor issues Executive Directive mandating COO to prioritize Customer Service, Efficiency, Equity, and Innovation in City Operations 

Mayor Mary Sheffield announced today that she has tapped proven transformation expert Winnie Liao as her administration’s Chief Operating Officer.  Mayor Sheffield has tasked Liao with the ambitious task of reshaping the way Detroit residents and businesses interact with city government to access basic services, as well as to navigate city processes.  

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield introduces transformation expert Winnie Liao as the City's new Chief Operating Officer. Behind them are many of the heads of the 17 department and agencies that will report to Liao.

Previously, Liao led the successful restructuring of service delivery and customer experience for the Michigan Secretary of State, significantly streamlining process and reducing wait times at 131 SOS branches across Michigan. Before Liao rearchitected the experience, Secretary of State offices were plagued by long wait times and frustration.

"Whether it’s fixing broken water mains, getting buses to run on time or navigating the process for opening a new business, I’ve heard resident’s calls to make these processes easier for them,” said Mayor Sheffield. “Winnie has a consistent record of fundamentally improving service delivery and the customer experience. Detroiters deserve the best, and Winnie is an example of how my administration is recruiting the best talent locally and nationally.”

Liao is stepping away from her current role as Vice President of Enterprise Operations at Mastercard where she has worked since 2021. Liao had been recruited by Mastercard to transform the employee digital experience—delivering enterprise tools and technologies to enhance usability and productivity for Mastercard’s global workforce.  At Mastercard, Liao refined her expertise in service delivery, service management, and the alignment of outcomes to create measurable, positive impact—a capability she will bring to the Sheffield Administration.

Liao will earn $290,000 as the City's new COO, a figure far below her compensation at Mastercard. With a diverse background across healthcare, technology, government, and consulting sectors, Liao brings extensive strategy and operations expertise to the role. She also served on the Board of Directors for Civilla, a Detroit based non-profit design studio dedicated to human-centered design within the operations of public institutions, where she also held the position of Treasurer, overseeing financial strategy, compliance, and fiduciary responsibility.  

New Detroit COO Winnie Liao discusses her plans as she prepares to begin her new role on Monday, February 16

As Chief Operating Officer, Liao will be leading and managing 17 city departments:

• Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) 
• Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) 
• Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC) 
• Detroit Fire Department (DFD) 
• Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT), including data governance 
• Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) 
• Human Resources (HR) 
• General Services Department (GSD) 
• Construction and Demolition (CDD) 
• Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport 
• Department of Public Works (DPW) 
• Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Authority (GDRRA) 
• Special Events 
• Public Lighting Department (PLD) 
• Public Lighting Authority (PLA) 
• Municipal Parking Department (MPD) 
• Detroit Building Authority (DBA) 

Tasked with driving modernization, Liao will overhaul the city-wide operating model to be customer-centric, ensuring that the user experience is efficient and reliable. Furthermore, she will implement clear metrics to ensure accountability and measure the success of these improvements.

“Mayor Sheffield has a clear vision for the future of city government, and I appreciate her confidence in my ability to execute it,” said Liao. “We have a dedicated and knowledgeable workforce, a vibrant business community, and residents who are often hindered by inefficient, outdated processes and systems stemming from years of competing priorities and underinvestment. Our approach will be to leverage the expertise of our teams and partners alongside direct feedback from businesses and residents to ensure city services are accessible, efficient, innovative, and customer focused.” 

Mayor signs Executive Directive

To drive this sweeping change, Mayor Sheffield also signed an Executive Directive today, mandating that the COO detail key service improvements and strategies that reframe resident’s experiences with each department in her portfolio, by the second quarter of 2026.

Those priorities are based on a four-pillar approach:

1. Customer Service: Intuitive, accessible, and responsive

2. Efficiency: Modernize IT systems and strengthen management of core operations to minimize administrative burdens and maximize taxpayer value

3. Equity: Identify and eliminate barriers to resources and access – making sure we serve all communities including those who are underserved

4. Innovation: Utilize data, AI, human-centered design, and cutting-edge technology to solve complex problems and improve service delivery

Mayor Sheffield issued an Executive Directive mandating that the COO detail key service improvements and strategies that reframe resident’s experiences with each department in her portfolio, by the second quarter of 2026. 

From the Mayor’s Executive Directive:  

Working across service departments, the COO ensures that residents receive high-quality, reliable, responsive services, while advancing my vision for the City through effective operational management. This includes oversight of personnel, resources, logistics, and the systems that keep the City running smoothly each day. When a city is effectively managed and service delivery centers on customer service, efficiency, equity, and innovation, residents have greater confidence in municipal government. As a result, people choose to remain in the City and new residents are attracted.

Accordingly, by this Directive, I instruct the Chief Operations Officer to initiate a City-wide Operations Improvement Plan during the first quarter of this calendar year, with a focus on service departments.

“It’s an honor to be part of this historic moment, focused on accelerating the improvement of services for the residents and businesses of this great city,” said Liao.

Liao’s official start date is Monday, February 16.