Denver’s next mayor is relying on his former rivals to help build his administration. 

Mayor-elect Mike Johnston announced the nearly 450 people who will make up his transition committees on Thursday — in charge of holding public meetings, sourcing applicants for key roles, and recommending priorities for the incoming administration.

The lengthy list features many familiar names, including a few from the mayor’s race: 

• Lisa Calderón, the executive director of Emerge Colorado who took third place in the April mayoral election, is co-chair of Johnston’s Community Well-Being and Neighborhood Safety Committee

• Chris Hansen, state senator and sixth-place finisher, is a member of the Climate Actions, Sustainability and Resiliency Committee

• Debbie Ortega, outgoing city councilwoman and seventh-place finisher, is co-chair of the Labor Relations Committee

• Ean Tafoya, eighth place, is co-chair of the Housing Stability Homelessness Committee

• Al Gardner, 13th place, is co-chair of the General Services Committee

• Jim Walsh, 14th place, is a member of the Employee Voice Committee

Earlier this month, Johnston also picked state Rep. Leslie Herod, who finished fifth in the mayor’s race, as his inauguration chair. 

“(Johnston) is proud to have so many of the people he shared a stage with join the transition team to share their ideas of how to make Denver America’s best city,” said Johnston’s communications director, Jordan Fuja. “Mayor-Elect Johnston and his entire transition committee are committed to embracing collaboration throughout the transition process.” 

Q&A with Prof. Robert Preuhs | Wider geographic support key to Mike Johnston’s victory

In addition to mayoral candidates, the transition team includes former contenders who lost elections for other city offices this year. 

City council candidates Travis Leiker, Adam Estroff, Leslie Twarogowski and Margie Morris are all members of Johnston’s transition committees, as well as Erik Clarke, who ran for city auditor. 

The committee members and co-chairs were selected via recommendations from subject-matter experts and an open application process, according to Johnston’s website. 

Other notable names on the 449-person list are state legislators James Coleman and Javier Mabrey, Denver City Councilmen Chris Herndon and Jolon Clark, and University of Colorado Regent Wanda James. There are also several former elected officials, including Adrienne Benavidez, Terrance Carroll, Irene Aguilar, Doug Linkhart, Albus Brooks, Rosemary Rodriguez and Joe Garcia. 

“Denver is full of innovative and visionary leaders across every single sector,” Johnston said of the team. “They will provide a steady foundation of equity, transparency, and collaboration so that we can hit the ground running to transform Denver into America’s best city.” 

The hundreds of state and city leaders comprise Johnston’s 28 transition committees. Each committee is dedicated to an issue or state department, ranging from mental health to immigration to social equity. The committees are overseen by the transition co-chairs: former Denver Mayor Federico Peña, state Sen. Julie Gonzales, Kourtny Garrett, Greg Moore, and Makisha Boothe. 

Johnston is scheduled to take office on July 17. 

Federico Peña, Leslie Herod join Mike Johnston’s Denver mayor transition, inauguration teams