2024 New York political power couples

If there’s one thing people involved in politics love, it’s talking about politics. And if there’s a second thing they love, it’s finding other people who love to talk about politics. So perhaps it’s no surprise that elected officials, advocates, consultants, staffers and journalists often fall for one another.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, City & State is once again highlighting some of New York’s political power couples.

Dara Adams, Assistant Secretary for Executive Operations for Gov. Kathy Hochul

Daniel Abramson, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Appointments for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso

What’s your relationship status?

Married since April 2022

How did you two meet?

We first met in 2018 when Dara was working on Andrew Gounardes’ state Senate race and Daniel came out to volunteer. Daniel finally worked up the courage to ask Dara out a year later at a presidential debate watch party – by then we both worked for the city. We spent the next year meeting up in City Hall Park during our lunch hour and the rest is history!

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

Dara’s first political gig was volunteering on then-Sen. Hillary Clinton’s reelection campaign, while Dan got his start volunteering for Barack Obama’s ’08 presidential campaign. Dara is forever #I’mWithHer and Daniel is still #HopeAndChange.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

It can be a challenge to balance working in government, raising a new baby, and two crazy cats (Thurgood & Ginsberg).  But one of the benefits of working in the same field is that we have a mutual respect and understanding of each other's jobs. We try to carve out time for date night each week. And it definitely takes a village; we’re grateful to have family nearby, dear friends, and workplaces that have championed progressive family policies.

Austin Shafran, Co-Founder and Partner, Green Book Strategies

Jennifer Shafran, Co-Founder and Partner, Green Book Strategies

What’s your relationship status? 

Married (10 years in July!)

How did you two meet?

In a meet cute meets Albany fashion, we first laid eyes on each other at a transportation budget hearing in the (Legislative Office Building), among a crowded room of elected officials, staff and advocates. Later that day, though, we actually met at the dais in the state Senate chamber ... and by that point, the train had left the station for good.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

While we sometimes have slight differences because of our (Jenn’s Manhattan versus Austin’s outer borough) political origins, we’re both solid blue traditional progressive Democrats who save our disagreements for the more important issues, like what to binge-watch on Netflix.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

We ... don’t. With two young kids and a business that daily services the diverse needs of a broad array of political clients and causes, we tend to flow in a constant state of barely controlled chaos. But we love what we do, whom we do it for, and mostly, how proud we are of the impact it has on the world we’re raising our children in. And sometimes our older one joins Zoom calls. He’s getting pretty good at strategy.

Henry F. Wojtaszek, President and CEO, Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. and Batavia Downs Gaming

Caroline A. Wojtaszek, Niagara County Court Judge

What’s your relationship status?

Married with three children, aged 22, 19 and 17

How did you two meet?

We met on a blind date arranged by a North Tonawanda City Court judge (who) Caroline worked with and (Henry’s) cousin, a Niagara County sheriff, who also worked with Caroline.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? 

When don’t we? :)

How do you handle your work-life balance?

We are a great team. While being parents of three great children is extremely rewarding, we have always made time to have a date night (or overnight) after a long week of constant stressful interactions. While we take our jobs very seriously, we never take ourselves too seriously.

Michelle Hook, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, National Grid Ventures, and President of the Albany chapter of the Women’s Energy Network

Morgan Hook, Managing Director, SKDK

What’s your relationship status?

Married since 2003. April will be our 21st wedding anniversary.

How did you two meet?

Michelle: It was our first jobs out of college in the small town of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. We both worked on-air in television news at an NBC affiliate. We became friends, and it evolved into more. When I was offered a job as the evening anchor at an ABC affiliate on the East Coast, Morgan took a leap of faith and came with me. A year later, we were engaged, and a year after that, we were married. A few more TV spots before we ended up in Albany, quit television and now work in politics and PR.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

Morgan: Ever? Probably. But we’re pretty much aligned on the big stuff. Our political disagreements tend to be about the process rather than the goal. Our real disagreements are about our tastes in music and movies. Michelle likes hip-hop and the classics; I’m more into hard rock and bad 80s and 90s movies.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

If anyone has tips, we’d welcome them. We have three active kids who are all involved in sports, school and other activities. We love being able to be a part of their lives, of course, and it’s important to be present for them. But between travel for work and shepherding the kids around, it takes multiple calendars, daily coordination and lots of coffee. We both agree carving out time for each other is a priority, whether that’s sneaking out for a quick workday lunch, a happy hour drink or a weekend away without the kids.

Cristina González, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President, the Adwell Group

Janos Marton, Chief Advocacy Officer, Dream.Org

What’s your relationship status?

We’ve been partners since 2021, and we live together in Staten Island with our two cats, Loki and Odin.

How did you two meet?

We met at a political salon party that Janos used to co-host called Tarbell Table. Janos was decked in turquoise accessories, and looked like no one else in the room, so naturally Cristina was very curious about this person. Janos was very intrigued that Cristina had started a boxing program for young girls.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

We agree almost all of the time on politics, but we’ve had different opinions on the kind of tactics people use while protesting. Let’s just say one of us is more Gandhian than the other.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

Communication is a big part of how we can create something that feels like symbiosis. We talk through the work we’re doing, what we’re stressed about, when we’re traveling, etc. We try to coordinate our travel so if one of us has to go somewhere like D.C., we try to figure out if there’s business the other can do in that same city. And because we hold the same political values, it makes it easy to be true partners in organizing. To balance out all the politics, we are very intentional about date nights and having fun, like throwing Bowie/Prince parties. At the end of the day, we have a great partnership and a great friendship.

Mariya Markh, Budget Director, New York City Council Member Kalman Yeger, and District Leader for the 61st Assembly District (Kings County part)

Lenny Markh, Deputy Chief of Staff, state Sen. Iwen Chu, and District Leader for the 61st Assembly District (Kings County part)

What’s your relationship status?

Happily married since 2016

How did you two meet?

At a community party for the local blog Sheepshead Bites in 2012. Mariya heard Lenny talking about a bike lane he wanted on Emmons Avenue and Mariya came up to argue with him about why she thought he was wrong and that it was never going to happen. (Note: It did happen in 2022.)

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

The first words Mariya said to Lenny were a disagreement on a political issue. Since then we’ve been on the same page about 93% of the time, but Lenny thinks it’s closer to 91%. More often we disagree on strategy rather than politics.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

It’s hard not to let work get into our off-work hours, especially when politics can only be done outside of work hours. Although our pillow talk is usually about agencies, policy and legislation we’re interested in. We also prioritize family time with our 6 year old and 8 month old.

Dan Clark, State Government and Politics Reporter, Times Union

Will Brunelle, Communications Manager, National Grid Ventures and Community Offshore Wind

What’s your relationship status?

Married, and have been together 13 years

How did you two meet?

Will plays guitar, and was performing at an open mic that Dan went to in college. We met each other after, and found out we were in the same journalism class at the University at Albany. We decided to study for our final together, and the rest is history.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

Absolutely, but we wouldn’t describe it that way. We come from different backgrounds, so sometimes one of us knows more about an issue than the other, and we have this wonderful opportunity to talk about it and inform each other. Those conversations become a moment of understanding and empathy, and we’re often able to come together on something. That doesn’t mean we don’t disagree, but we find value in each other’s experiences, rather than tension.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

We made the choice to set really strict boundaries about work and life. Neither of us check our email outside of working hours, and any work-related calls get pushed to the next day, unless it’s an emergency. We also try to make the most out of the time we have together. We see every moment together as special, so we don’t take it for granted. But if we’re not at work, our focus is on each other, our two dogs and our loved ones.

Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Assembly Member and Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair

Edu Hermelyn, Senior Vice President, Mercury

What’s your relationship status?

Married since Jan. 1, 2021

How did you two meet?

We met in the hallway in Albany in 2010 before (Rodneyse) was running for district leader. We started dating while working on Farah Louis’ City Council campaign in 2019.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

Not really. We fight for the same things: tenants rights, affordable housing, economic development and equity, education.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

Prayer and partnership, teamwork on child care, family, politics and school.

Harold C. Miller Jr., Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, state Attorney General Letitia James’ office

Tunisha W. Walker-Miller, Founder and CEO, The Source Consulting Group, and Founder and President, Association of Black Lobbyists and Consultants

What’s your relationship status?

Married since Oct. 20, 2018

How did you two meet?

In true love story fashion, we grew up in the same church, lived a block away from each other, our grandmothers knew each other but our paths never crossed until we met in 2005 while working at NY ACORN in Brooklyn as organizers. We became the best of friends while working to ensure that our ACORN members receive their fair share of housing, education reform and a better quality of life. 

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

All the time! Harold worked in the city for former Mayor (Bill) de Blasio and Tunisha worked for the state for former Gov. (Andrew) Cuomo. We each thought our bosses were right – all the time. We had a lot of fun discussing how government should operate.

How do you handle your work-life balance?

We have two kids and a dog who forces us to take time to balance work, life and family time. Our kids are passionate about making sure that we have our family movie nights and taco Tuesdays. We also take time for ourselves by having a few laughs and an occasional date night.

Gregory J. Kirsopp, Chief of Staff, Assembly Member Michael Novakhov

April Cardena, Chief of Staff, Council Member Kristy Marmorato

What’s your relationship status?

In a relationship

How did you two meet?

We are both lifelong New Yorkers and have known one another since the third grade where we attend school together. Ever since then, not a single year has passed without us spending at least a day together. Our bond truly began as lifelong friends. Fast forward to 2014 on Christmas Eve, when we took a step beyond friendship and started dating. In 2017, we took another leap together and co-founded our consulting firm, Premier Strategies, Inc.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

Disagreement is par for the course in our relationship, but it’s precisely what fuels our synergy. Not only do we tend to have different political leanings, but we also have fairly different approaches to tackling tasks. April tends to lean more towards the analytical "left brain," while Gregory brings his creative perspective from the "right brain." Our contrasting approaches foster a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives. This dynamic, coupled with our commitment to open communication, has been instrumental in our success, offering us a diverse toolkit to tackle the challenges and responsibilities we encounter.

How do you handle your work/life balance? 

While our roles in the Assembly and City Council, respectively, demand a great deal of time and energy, we've established clear boundaries and routines to ensure we prioritize personal time together. We always come together for dinner whether it be at home or trying a new restaurant, we brunch regularly together and with our friends on the weekends, and we work collectively on a handful of boards/steering committees across NYC. Most importantly, we make a concerted effort to support each other's professional endeavors through attending events together and being a support system for the other after a stressful day.

Cynthia Nixon, actor & director

Christine Marinoni, organizer & activist

What’s your relationship status?

Together 20 years, married after it became legal in 2012

How did you two meet?

We met at a press conference fighting against education budget cuts 

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

In 2008, Christine was for Hillary in the primary and Cynthia was for Obama (although we course corrected and were both for Hillary in 2016 and both for Bernie in 2020).

How do you handle your work/life balance?

We seek employment opportunities and participate in activism in ways that allow us to maximize our time with each other and family.