Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro names campaign manager Dana Fritz as chief of staff

Dana Fritz, who managed Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s winning gubernatorial campaign, will be his chief of staff in Harrisburg.

Shapiro’s transition team announced Thursday that Fritz, 32, would take on the role overseeing the Office of the Governor and serving as Shapiro’s top adviser.

Fritz, a Lehigh Valley native who went to Temple University and now lives in Philadelphia, has worked with Shapiro for more than a decade, beginning during Shapiro’s time as a Montgomery County commissioner.

“I am humbled by this opportunity,” Fritz said in a statement. “And I look forward to building a hard-working, capable Administration that represents our Commonwealth as we work to grow an economy that works for all, ensure every child receives a quality education, and make communities across Pennsylvania safer.”

Shapiro called Fritz “my most trusted advisor for years,” in a statement about her new role. “Dana’s leadership skills, knowledge of the Commonwealth, and sharp instincts are unmatched — and I have complete confidence in her ability to lead our Administration and help move Pennsylvania forward.”

The announcement, released by Shapiro’s transition team, included statements from chiefs of staff to the last four governors.

“Chief of Staff is the most important job in government without a job description,” Steve Crawford, former chief of staff to Gov. Ed Rendell said. “Your instincts are as important as your intellect. You have to be tough, fair, flexible, and most of all, credible — there can be no space between you and the Governor, or people will smell it and take advantage of it.”

Fritz grew up in Coplay in Lehigh County. She was an avid figure skater who skated competitively into high school before studying political science at Temple.

She started her political career working for Sen. Bob Casey’s 2012 reelection campaign. Then she took a job managing finance and political efforts for then-Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro and has worked with him ever since. Fritz was deputy campaign manager and finance director for Shapiro’s 2016 election to attorney general. She stayed on as deputy chief of staff and communications director, leading communication about the office’s investigations into the Catholic Church and lawsuits against the Trump administration.

After managing Shapiro’s reelection campaign in 2020, she spearheaded his run for governor, which won the most votes in a midterm election in Pennsylvania history.