Mayor Edwards announces new hires, EMS appointment

Mayor-President Sid Edwards announced two key hires and an administrative appointment Thursday as part of efforts to strengthen his leadership team.

William Daniel has been named Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the Department of Public Works, while William “Bill” Sherman will serve as Director of Communications. Edwards appointed Chris Landry as interim director of Emergency Medical Services, effective May 3.

Daniel returns to City-Parish government after holding several leadership roles between 2005 and 2017, including director of public works, chief administrative officer, and director of environmental services. A former three-term state legislator, he represented parts of East Baton Rouge Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives, where he served on the Ways and Means, Transportation, and Environment committees. He played a key role in crafting legislation to establish statewide groundwater policies. Most recently, he worked as a program manager at Gulf Coast Testing LLC.

Sherman brings more than 30 years of experience in communications, public relations, and media production. His past roles include communications positions with the Louisiana Farm Bureau and Launch Media. From 2018 to 2024, he served as director of digital media for Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser.

Landry steps into EMS leadership following the retirement of longtime director Michael Denicola. Landry began his career at EMS in 1998 as a paramedic and has since held a variety of leadership roles, most recently serving as chief of operations.