Houston Names New Director to Lead HR Team
Vendors and partners working with the city's human resources and neighborhood departments should confirm their new points of contact.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has appointed Herbert C. Sims, Jr. as the city's Director of Human Resources, replacing retiring director Jane Cheeks. Rebekah Williams was named to succeed Sims as Director of the Department of Neighborhoods, which the city's human resources and neighborhood offices oversee for businesses and workers.
Why it matters
The Human Resources department handles recruitment and services for roughly 20,000 municipal employees, so leadership changes there shape how the city hires, retains and supports its workforce. The shift follows Jane Cheeks's retirement, which opened the post, and the reassignment of Sims to the neighborhoods department.
The Human Resources department serves 20,000 municipal employees, and the appointed director brings sixteen years of experience in the city's gang violence prevention unit dating to a city career that began in 2002. The source does not describe any changes to budget, staffing levels or program scope tied to these appointments.
The players
Mayor John Whitmire
Houston's mayor, whose office made the appointments and who sets priorities for the city's administrative departments.
Herbert C. Sims, Jr.
A longtime city official with sixteen years in the gang violence prevention unit, now named Director of Human Resources after leading the Department of Neighborhoods.
Rebekah Williams
A former senior advisor to Mayor Whitmire and communications supervisor under former Mayor Sylvester Turner, now appointed to lead the Department of Neighborhoods.
The details
Mayor Whitmire's office announced the appointments on Friday, moving Sims from leading the Department of Neighborhoods into the top Human Resources post. Rebekah Williams, who has served as a senior advisor to Whitmire, a communications supervisor to former Mayor Sylvester Turner, and a city liaison to faith leaders and communities, takes over the neighborhoods department. The neighborhoods department runs city task forces on gang violence, human trafficking and domestic abuse prevention and oversees the civic club system known as Super Neighborhoods.
Timeline
2002: Sims begins working in various city roles.
2022: Human Resources creates a parental leave program.
Friday, November 2, 2026: Whitmire's office announces the new director appointments.
Market Landscape
Municipal human resources leadership in Houston is changing hands as the department that handles recruitment for 20,000 employees gets a new director. The move reflects the city's pattern of shifting experienced staff between administrative and neighborhood roles.
Houston businesses that contract with or recruit for the city should note the change in Human Resources leadership, since the department sets recruitment and employee-service practices. Companies working with the Department of Neighborhoods should expect a new point of contact as Rebekah Williams takes over.
The takeaway
Houston's city hiring and employee-services practices are now under new leadership, so vendors and workforce partners should confirm current contacts with the Human Resources department. Operators working with the Department of Neighborhoods should introduce themselves to the incoming director to keep civic and community-program relationships on track.
Further reading
For more on how city leadership changes affect local workforces, see the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Houston Chronicle.
