New Orleans Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork has announced her transition team ahead of taking office on May 4. The former New Orleans Police Department superintendent will hold a March 10 ceremony at Southern University at New Orleans to outline her strategic framework for the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office.

Woodfork defeated incumbent Sheriff Susan Hutson in October 2025 with 53% of the vote, avoiding a runoff. Her transition team includes Ayame Dinkler, CPA Sean M. Bruno, Stephen Gelé, and retired Chief Murphy J. Paul Jr., focusing on operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and workforce development.

During her tenure as NOPD Superintendent from 2022 to 2024, Woodfork led initiatives that reportedly reduced violent crime by 25%, murders by 23%, and carjackings by 45%. She brings 33 years of law enforcement experience and previously served as Director of Forensics and Intelligence for the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office.