St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her has announced two high-profile appointments affecting city operations and regional transportation leadership.

La Xiong has been appointed as director of the Department of Safety and Inspections, the city agency responsible for building inspections, licensing, code enforcement and property safety.

Her intends to appoint Ia Xiong as director of the Department of Safety and Inspections, the city agency responsible for building inspections, licensing, code enforcement and property safety. Xiong brings more than 25 years of public-sector experience, most recently serving as director of transportation initiatives and transit and parking director for the City of Rochester.

In Rochester, she oversaw a $38 million Destination Medical Center infrastructure program and helped advance the LINK Bus Rapid Transit project. She previously held leadership roles with the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County and has been a licensed professional engineer in Minnesota since 2000.

Current DSI Director Angie Wiese, who has led the department since 2022, will remain in an administrative leadership role.

Her also appointed Lee Pao Xiong as St. Paul’s ex-officio representative on the Metropolitan Airports Commission. The commission oversees Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and six regional airports serving the Twin Cities.

Lee Pao Xiong is widely known for his work in education, public policy and community development. He currently serves as vice president for strategy and external affairs at Keystone Community Services in St. Paul and has previously served on the Metropolitan Council and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

His term on the Metropolitan Airports Commission runs through Dec. 31, 2028.