Denver Mayor Mike Johnston named former Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck partner Emily Garnett as the city’s new chief operating officer.

She previously served as Johnston’s interim chief of staff while Jenn Ridder was away on parental leave.

Garnett replaces former COO Janel Forder, who departed the mayor’s office on June 13 to accept a position at the University of Colorado.

Ridder has returned to her post and continues to serve as chief of staff.

“Emily has been an exceptional leader for our team over the past several months,” Johnston said in a statement on Tuesday. “She stepped up to keep major priorities moving forward and ensure we stayed focused on delivering real results for Denver. Emily brings strong management skills and a keen ability to drive innovation and operational efficiency, and I’m grateful for her continued leadership as chief operating officer.”  

Previously, Garnett served as a Johnston adviser during his tenure in the state Senate.

In her permanent role, Garnett will oversee the operations of Johnston’s office as well as the city agencies under his purview and coordinate matters with the Denver City Council.

“I’m honored to become a permanent member of the Mayor’s team and support the incredible public servants working across our city,” Garnett said in the news release. “I look forward to helping ensure our teams are aligned, connected and continue to deliver meaningful results for Denverites.”  

A former partner at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Garnett specialized in antitrust, government investigations and securities matters. 

Garnett holds a J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School and serves on the board of trustees for Metro State University of Denver and the Colorado Ballet. 

She was named to Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and 5280 lists, according to the release.