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Updated: January 13, 2026 at 8:30 am

City Council President and Allston-Brighton City Councilor Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Breadon selected City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata as her vice president, in a statement announcing committee allocations on Monday night.

In a statement to Allstonia, Coletta Zapata, who is the city councilor from District 1, wrote that she accepted the nomination Sunday night.

“I’m ready to serve the people, and I look forward for all of us to just get back to work,” she wrote.

Breadon’s selection came after a series of delays and reported rejections from potential vice presidents. Breadon had previously stated that she would announce her committee allocations last Friday. However, NBC 10 reported that though Breadon had chosen her for the vice presidency on Friday, Coletta Zapata initially turned down the nomination, opting to chair the committee on government operations.

Councilor Brian Worrell, who had lost the presidency to Breadon by one vote, said in a statement to the Boston Herald on Sunday, that he also declined an invitation from Breadon to be vice president.

Coletta Zapata did not comment on what led her to eventually accept the city council vice presidency. In addition to the vice presidency, Breadon had also handed her the chair for the government operations committee.

Breadon did not immediately respond to Allstonia’s request for comment.

Breadon had told Allstonia on Wednesday that she saw the vice president position as a “thought partner” to “meet together and bounce ideas and say what’s working, what’s not working.”

Coletta Zapata had initially been favored for the city council presidency, announcing in November that she had a seven-vote majority to secure the position. Her sudden withdrawal before the election led to Breadon’s subsequent nomination and election as city council president.

Along with her vice president pick, Breadon made announcements about a chair and vice chair for different committees on Boston City Council. Under Breadon, the number of committees decreased by one from 21 to 20. 

The Boston COVID Recovery committee was folded into the Post-Audit: Government Accountability, Transparency and Accessibility committee (chaired by Councilor John FitzGerald). The Committee on Small Business and Professional Licensure was consolidated under the Labor and Economic Development committee (chaired by Councilor Worrell).

Breadon also announced the formation of a Committee on Census, Redistricting and Elections, chaired by outgoing City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune.

“As Boston continues to change, the Boston City Council must evolve with it,” wrote Breadon in the statement. “These committee assignments reflect a commitment to clearer oversight and stronger collaboration.” 

“Now it’s time to get to work for the people of Boston.” ■

Boston City Council Committee Assignments (2026-2027)

* indicates that member had served as either chair or vice chair of that committee in the previous term (2024-2025)

Committee	Chair	Vice Chair
Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Tourism and Special Events	Ruthzee Louijeune (At-Large)	Sharon Durkan (District 8)
Census, Redistricting, and Elections	Ruthzee Louijeune (At-Large)	Julia Mejia (At-Large)
City Services (previously City Services and Innovation Technology)	Ed Flynn* (District 2)	Erin Murphy (At-Large)
Civil Rights, Racial Equity, and Immigration Advancement	Miniard Culpepper (District 7)	Julia Mejia (At-Large)
Community Preservation Act	Enrique Pepén* (District 5)	Sharon Durkan (District 8)
Education	Julia Mejia* (At-Large)	Brian Worrell (District 4)
Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks	Brian Worrell (District 4)	Henry Santana (At-Large)
Government Operations	Gabriela Coletta Zapata* (District 1)	Ruthzee Louijeune (At-Large)
Housing and Community Development	Enrique Pepén (District 5)	Miniard Culpepper (District 7)
Human Services (previously Strong Women, Families and Communities)	Erin Murphy* (At-Large)	Henry Santana (At-Large)
Labor and Economic Development	Brian Worrell (District 4)	Benjamin Weber* (District 6)
PILOT Agreements, Institutional, and Intergovernmental Relations	Sharon Durkan* (District 8)	Enrique Pepén (District 5)
Planning, Development, and Transportation	Sharon Durkan* (District 8)	John FitzGerald* (District 3)
Post-Audit: Government Accountability, Transparency, and Accessibility	John FitzGerald (District 3)	Miniard Culpepper (District 7)
Public Health, Homelessness, and Recovery	John FitzGerald* (District 3)	Ed Flynn (District 2)
Public Safety and Criminal Justice	Henry Santana* (At-Large)	Benjamin Weber (District 6)
Rules and Administration	Elizabeth Breadon (District 9)	Gabriela Coletta Zapata* (District 1)
Veterans, Military Families, and Military Affairs	Henry Santana (At-Large)	Ed Flynn* (District 2)
Ways and Means	Benjamin Weber (District 6)	John FitzGerald (District 3)
Whole	Elizabeth Breadon (District 9)	Gabriela Coletta Zapata (District 1)

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.