ST. LOUIS—Mayor-elect Cara Spencer announced the first hires of her incoming administration Thursday ahead of being sworn-in Tuesday, while remaining non-committal about whether she plans to retain department heads currently serving Mayor Tishaura Jones.

Spencer named Nancy Hawes, formerly the managing shareholder of The Hawes Law Firm and a veteran of Polsinelli PC and Armstrong Teasdale as her chief of staff and Beverly Isom, most recently the director of policy and advocacy at Operation Food Search and a veteran in the corporate communications space in the region, as her communications director.

Spencer’s transition is being led by former Kansas City mayor Sly James and Joni Wickham of Wickham James Strategies & Solutions. In addition, a series of volunteer committees full of local civic leaders including Dr. Alexander Garza, MD, MPH - Chief Community Health Officer, SSM Health, former Missouri Supreme Court justice Michael Wolff, St. Louis Community College Chancellor Jeff Pittman and Commerce Bancshares St. Louis chairman and CEO Robert Holmes.

The advisory panels will give feedback and recommendations on city services, commercial and neighborhood transformations, economic, educational, safety and justice issues.

Since Tuesday’s election, Spencer said she’s met with regional leaders and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, the city’s police and fire chiefs, as well as Mayor Tishaura Jones and her staff.

During a brief question and answer session with reporters, Spencer said announcements on department heads would be made in the coming days. She offered little in the way of answers about whether current department heads will have a long-term future in her administration.

Spencer said police chief Robert Tracy is “doing a great job”. A newly-signed state law returns St. Louis police to a state-appointed board that will include Spencer as the mayor. Kehoe has yet to announce a transition director, or nominate board members who will need state senate confirmation.

Jones had left open the possibility of challenging the law. On Thursday Spencer didn’t close the door either and said she’d requested a legal opinion from the city counselor and wants to retain any current work done related to a possible challenge.