Suzanne Doran began her role as the new executive director of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission this week.
The Ethics Commission is the city of Oakland’s accountability watchdog. It helps to ensure transparency within Oakland city government and to investigate corruption.
In 2019, the commission launched an investigation that led to the recall of former mayor Sheng Tao.
Suzanne Doran has been a volunteer member of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission since 2016.
As the new Executive Director, Doran wants to secure more funding for the commission so that it can expand its capabilities. According to her, it hasn’t been able to keep up with the number and complexity of complaints it’s been receiving during her time there.
The City Council added two enforcement investigators in its most recent budget to expand the Commission's capacity, however, Doran says that will still leave it short of what it needs.
Those investigators will join the commission in 2026.
