Russell Etherton serves as Chief of Staff to Council Member Mario Castillo at the City of Houston, where he leads operations, policy strategy, communications, and community engagement for a team of seven. His work focuses on translating big-picture ideas into practical solutions that improve quality of life for Houston residents.
Russell has helped lead several signature initiatives, including Resilient H, a neighborhood-level resilience initiative; the LGBTQ+ Economic Empowerment Coordinator pilot, designed to identify service gaps and strengthen pathways to opportunity for the LGBTQ+ Community; and Seeds for Change, a small grant and nonprofit incubator program supporting immigrant and refugee community organizations. He also played a key role in advancing the City of Houston’s Evening Public Session legislation, expanding access to local government for working families and community members.
Prior to his current role, Russell held leadership positions in nonprofit and social impact organizations including BakerRipley, Legacy Community Health, and Texas Pride Impact Funds. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Houston and completed the Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he now serves as a Teaching Fellow. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Russell lives in Houston with his partner and their two very spoiled dogs.
