Power Lists
The 2024 Power of Diversity: Women 100
New York’s most influential female leaders.
City & State presents the 2024 Power of Diversity: Women 100 Tom Williams, CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; NYC HPD; WIlliam Alatriste, New York City Council
Americans had the chance to make history this year in electing the country’s first woman president, but Vice President Kamala Harris ultimately fell short. Still, there are many places where women are breaking through the glass ceiling. A recurring theme in this year’s Power of Diversity: Women 100 is historic firsts. Many of the individuals recognized here broke barriers to become the first woman, the first woman of color or another first to hold a position of power or influence. Among them are several first-generation Americans, bringing idealism, ambition and diverse voices to enrich their New York fields and communities. Plenty of entrepreneurs have launched first-of-their-kind companies, campaigns and outreach initiatives – from groundbreaking theater to transgender activism. And of course, there’s New York’s first woman governor. One thing you can count on: For these women, their most recent success won’t be their last.
1. Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul became the first woman to be elected to New York’s highest office in 2022 – but she had already assumed the position, having stepped into the role as lieutenant governor upon the scandal-fueled resignation of her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo. The Buffalo native had already worked her way up the political ladder, from the Hamburg Town Board to Congress. Hochul has been flexing her political muscle lately: helping flip three key congressional seats, pausing (and now restarting) a long-planned Manhattan congestion pricing scheme and prodding New York City Mayor Eric Adams to clean up City Hall – or risk being removed from office.
2. Andrea Stewart-Cousins
State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins has served as majority leader since 2019, making her the longest-serving Democrat in the influential post in the chamber’s history. Stewart-Cousins is also the first woman and first Black woman to lead the chamber, where she has prioritized school funding, reproductive rights and ambitious climate legislation. This election cycle, she maintained a majority – but lost her veto-proof supermajority. Prior to her election to the Senate in 2006, she held leadership positions as a Westchester County legislator and in Yonkers.
3. Letitia James
Brooklyn native Letitia James became the first woman of color to hold statewide office in 2018, when she also made history as the first woman elected as New York’s attorney general. Since then, she has taken on opioid manufacturers, polluters and predatory landlords and earned national recognition for defending immigrants and reproductive rights – and taking on President-elect Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association. James previously served as New York City’s public advocate – and is now being floated as a potential candidate for mayor.
4. Maria Torres-Springer
Earlier this fall, Maria Torres-Springer was elevated to the role of first deputy mayor of New York City, following the departure of Sheena Wright, who is entangled in the wide-reaching scandal involving members of Adams administration. She previously served as Mayor Eric Adams’ deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce, leading the city’s efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic – including the recovery of 1 million jobs lost – and to address the affordable housing crisis. In an administration rocked by scandals and high-level departures, Torres-Springer is a reliable veteran of city leadership, having also led the New York City Economic Development Corp. and the city’s Department of Housing Preservation.
5. Karen Persichilli Keogh, Kathryn Garcia & Stacy Lynch
Unlike her high-profile predecessor, Melissa DeRosa, Karen Persichilli Keogh stays in the background in her role as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s top adviser. But Keogh is still powerful, having overhauled the culture of the governor’s office in the post-Andrew Cuomo era, and now, helping her boss revamp New York City’s government. Her colleague Kathryn Garcia made a strong bid for New York City mayor and is getting renewed attention in the wake of Mayor Eric Adams’ indictment. The former New York City sanitation commissioner is now keeping the sprawling state government on track. Stacy Lynch, the first Black woman chief of staff to a New York governor, learned politics from one of the best, her late father, Bill Lynch. A one-time entertainment lawyer, Lynch has worked her way up the state’s political ladder and was chief of staff to former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin before joining Hochul’s staff.
6. Adrienne Adams
Two years ago, Adrienne Adams made history as the first Black speaker of the New York City Council, itself a historically diverse chamber, boasting its first woman majority. Adams in 2017 became the first woman to represent her Queens district. As speaker, Adams has prioritized legislation around health equity, public safety and support for crime victims – and she has proved to be a formidable adversary to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. However, the mayor recently outmaneuvered the speaker with several successful charter revision measures on the ballot that give the administration more control over the council.
7. Michelle Hinchey, Liz Krueger, Shelley Mayer, Jessica Ramos & Julia Salazar
After two decades in office, state Senate Finance Committee Chair Liz Krueger is now one of New York’s most powerful woman politicians. Krueger’s Equal Rights Amendment, which enshrines abortion rights in the state constitution, was approved by voters this year. The budget wonk also blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul’s congestion pricing pause as “reckless,” saying the funds were sorely needed for mass transit. Senate Education Committee Chair Shelley Mayer was a driving force behind restoring education funding in this year’s state budget. Mayer argued that Hochul’s proposed overhaul of the state aid formula would cost suburban school districts. State Senate Labor Committee Chair Jessica Ramos, who has championed worker protections in Albany, has entered the crowded primary field against Mayor Eric Adams – and would be the city’s first woman mayor if she wins. State Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee Chair Julia Salazar has had a standout year. She advanced legislation through the Senate to support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, eliminated the intoxication defense and saw a version of her “good cause” eviction legislation included in the state budget. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Michelle Hinchey has also had a whirlwind year, passing 53 bills in the Senate, with 29 passing in both chambers. One notable legislative win was a short-term rental registry bill. Hochul also signed Hinchey’s bill to make menstrual products free on SUNY and CUNY campuses.
8. Elise Stefanik
Rep. Elise Stefanik has established herself not only as the most powerful New York Republican in Congress but as a political force on the national stage. Stefanik has used her seat on the Education and the Workforce Committee to call out antisemitism on college campuses and to depose three Ivy League presidents. As chair of the House Republican Conference, she presided over the weekslong search for a new House speaker. Stefanik was considered as a potential vice presidential pick for Donald Trump’s 2024 run – and is now set to become ambassador to the United Nations, as one of the first high-level appointees of the president-elect.
9. Kirsten Gillibrand
She may be New York’s junior senator, but Kirsten Gillibrand has been representing New York in Washington, D.C., for decades – and she just coasted to another six-year term. Born into a politically active Albany family, Gillibrand worked on Hillary Clinton’s U.S. Senate campaign and, after being elected twice to Congress, succeeded Clinton in the Senate. The former presidential candidate gained national prominence speaking out against sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement and for championing women’s issues. She’s reportedly angling to be the next chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
10. Betty Rosa
Betty Rosa, a pioneer of multilingual and culturally responsive education in New York City, was the first Latina to be appointed commissioner of education and president of the State University of New York. At the helm of the state Education Department, she oversees a $39 billion budget in an independent system that serves 3.2 million students. Rosa previously served as chancellor of the department’s Board of Regents, of which she was a longtime member.
11. Ingrid Lewis-Martin & Camille Joseph Varlack
In normal times, being the most trusted adviser to the mayor of the nation’s largest city would be the very personification of political influence. But given that New York City Mayor Eric Adams is under indictment, the calculus isn’t quite the same for his longtime ally and enforcer Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Lewis-Martin, who had her home raided and her phone seized by law enforcement, has denied wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Adams recently gave her a hefty raise.
Litigator and government veteran Camille Joseph Varlack stepped into the role of chief of staff to Adams in late 2022. She brings a wealth of experience that includes founding her own law firm, serving as a principal attorney for the state court system and holding operations and risk management leadership roles with the Executive Chamber and the state Department of Financial Services. Varlack is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and began her career as a Brooklyn assistant district attorney.
12. Jocelyn Strauber
When New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Jocelyn Strauber commissioner of the Department of Investigation in 2022, he said New Yorkers were entitled to “honest government.” Strauber has taken that to heart, even if it has meant investigating the mayor and his allies. On her watch, the department has mounted criminal investigations exposing bribery and kickback schemes, contractor misconduct and contraband smuggling. Strauber was previously a partner at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
13. Ana Almanzar, Meera Joshi & Anne Williams-Isom
A couple of deputy mayors recently jumped ship, but this trio is still on board and keeping New York City government afloat. Meera Joshi may spend her time trying to be the anti-Robert Moses but she’s quietly built up influence in a way that would make the legendary power broker jealous. The deputy mayor for operations also serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board and is the city’s point person on all things transportation- and infrastructure-related. Joshi is seeking to transform the Cross Bronx Expressway by capping portions of the roadway with new parks, and aims to reimagine Fifth Avenue between Central Park and Bryant Park. As deputy mayor for health and human services, Anne Williams-Isom oversees a wide-ranging portfolio, including the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NYC Health + Hospitals and the Office of Immigrant Affairs. Williams-Isom is City Hall’s immigration policy point person and negotiated the settlement to the city’s right-to-shelter policy with regard to newly arrived migrants. She is now second in the line of succession on a temporary basis after the first deputy mayor. As New York City’s deputy mayor for strategic initiatives, Ana Almanzar serves as City Hall’s point person for nonprofits, children’s groups and social services providers. Almanzar brings a wealth of experience, after handling community relations at Mother Cabrini Health Foundation and serving as chief of staff to the state director of nonprofits prior to joining the administration.
14. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Catalina Cruz, Amy Paulin, Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Jenifer Rajkumar, Karines Reyes & Linda Rosenthal
When she was appointed Assembly majority leader in 2018, Crystal Peoples-Stokes became the first woman and first Black person to serve in the position. Her political career dates to the early 1990s, when the former Buffalo school teacher was elected to the Erie County Legislature and served as majority leader. As Assembly majority leader, she has championed marijuana decriminalization, diversity pipelines into the medical and teaching fields, and measures to bolster minority- and women-owned businesses.
Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s political power stems as much from her leadership of the Brooklyn Democratic Party as from her legislative feats in Albany. Yet the lawmaker, who was recently reelected to her party leadership role, has staked out a position as a leading maternal health advocate and MWBE proponent in the state Legislature.
Assembly Health Committee Chair Amy Paulin is one of the state’s most prolific lawmakers. Paulin’s bill to assist breast cancer survivors was signed into law, and she got the Edgemont section of the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County exempted from a new state law making it harder to form villages.
Assembly Housing Committee Chair Linda Rosenthal was a key player in one of the top fights during the past budget debate as she helped to negotiate the compromise housing deal.
Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, the Office of State-Federal Relations Committee chair, has advocated for allowing migrants to take professional licensing exams in the state.
Assembly Member Karines Reyes chairs the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force and presides over the popular Somos conferences each year. She has called for a special session this year in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as president.
Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar is known for her close ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. She recently entered the race for city comptroller, raising the most of anyone in the field in the latest fundraising report. How Rajkumar’s relationship with Adams impacts her campaign post-indictment remains to be seen.
15. Kathryn Wylde
As president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, Kathryn Wylde leads a nonprofit that brings together the city’s business leaders to bolster New York’s economic and cultural luster. Since 2000, Wylde has led an organization that supports nearly 1 million city jobs, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a key role in coordinating efforts between the city’s government and its business community. Wylde previously helped establish the Partnership Fund for New York City, a $170 million initiative for which she served as founding CEO.
16. Kathy Sheehan
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, a former corporate lawyer, blazed a trail as the city’s first woman leader when she was elected its 75th mayor in 2013. Over three terms, Sheehan has fortified the city’s finances and spearheaded a revitalization effort that includes new zoning, public improvements, sustainability projects and historic state investments. As a result, the city recently saw its estimated population rise above 100,000 for the first time this century. Earlier this year, Sheehan said she would not seek a fourth term in 2025.
17. Amanda Farías, Diana Ayala & Selvena Brooks-Powers
New York City Council Member Amanda Farías got a major boost at the beginning of the year becoming the legislative body’s new majority leader – and first Latina in the post – while remaining chair of the Economic Development Committee. New York City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala wants to know why city correction officials are locking mentally ill Rikers Island inmates in cells for extended periods and has demanded a probe. She authored legislation to allow virtual intake for children into the homeless services system. City Council Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers chairs the body’s Transportation Committee. She has passed legislation to enhance parking garage safety, including through weight limits, following the collapse of a lower Manhattan garage last year. She is working on expanding ferry service to Coney Island and the Rockaways. Ayala is term-limited, but Farías and Brooks-Powers are among the names being rumored as potential candidates to be the next speaker of the New York City Council.
18. Nicole Malliotakis & Claudia Tenney
Staten Islanders hate tolls, and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has made that one of her top issues. The Republican lawmaker helped lead a bipartisan fight in Washington, D.C., against congestion pricing, which Gov. Kathy Hochul just unpaused. She also joined a bipartisan group that introduced legislation to reduce student loan debt. When Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said Staten Island should take more migrants, Malliotakis shot back that Staten Island did not back President Joe Biden, Hochul or New York City Mayor Eric Adams – and thus has no obligation to help. Representing one of the state’s most ruby red congressional districts, Rep. Claudia Tenney can stake out some of the most conservative positions of any New Yorker in Washington, D.C. Tenney has called out federal government waste, been a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment and asked Hochul to pardon Trump.
19. Darcel Clark, Anne Donnelly & Melinda Katz
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has been tackling the rise of squatters and an increase in ghost guns in New York City, including prosecuting a former FBI agent who was in possession of a large amount of the untraceable firearms. After her 2019 election, Katz became Queens’ first female top prosecutor. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark wants the city to address the root causes of crime and is asking for more money to be allocated to housing and mental health services in order to improve public safety in the Bronx and citywide. The first Black woman district attorney in state history, Clark this year announced new data dashboards to increase transparency of her prosecutions. The fourth consecutive woman to serve as Nassau County district attorney, Anne Donnelly was a career prosecutor before being elected to the post. The Republican has targeted hate crimes and antisemitism on Long Island and lobbied Albany lawmakers to address bail issues.
20. Gale Brewer, Carmen De La Rosa, Julie Menin & Lynn Schulman
Gale Brewer has done it all: Manhattan borough president, Zaza Waza feuder, intern mentor and now is on her second stretch as New York City Council member. The powerful chair of the Council Oversight and Investigations Committee is waging war on unlicensed cannabis shops and has passed bills to expand the city’s tree canopy and combat lithium-ion battery fires. Council Member Julie Menin continues to establish herself as a key policymaker in city government. She passed a major hotel licensing bill in the city, authored a medical fee transparency law and negotiated a plan for an expansion of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Civil Service and Labor Committee Chair Carmen De La Rosa is focused on workforce issues, including through a bill that would reduce insurance premium costs for for-hire drivers in the city and efforts to improve construction site safety. Health Committee Chair Lynn Schulman is pushing for in vitro fertilization to be covered for gay male city employees. Schulman is also prioritizing public health, seeking to increase cancer screenings and raising life expectancy.
21. Melinda Person
For nearly two decades, Melinda Person has crusaded for New York’s educators with New York State United Teachers, a 700,000-strong organization representing employees in New York schools, colleges and health care facilities. A former sixth-grade teacher and a veteran of state government, Person joined the union in 2006 and, prior to her election as president last year, served as executive director and political director. She has galvanized union political engagement through the creation of a Member Action Center, the Regional Political Organizer program and the NYSUT Pipeline Project.
22. Twyla Carter
Twyla Carter, the attorney-in-chief and CEO of The Legal Aid Society, was the first Black woman and first Asian American to become the 145-year-old organization’s leader. She heads an organization that handles 200,000 legal matters annually for New Yorkers in all five boroughs. Carter, who earned her undergraduate and law degrees from Seattle University, is a nationally recognized expert in bail reform who previously directed national legal and policy issues for The Bail Project in Los Angeles and was a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union.
23. Heather Mulligan
Heather Mulligan has led The Business Council of New York State since 2012, having previously overseen the government affairs for the prominent Albany-based organization. Under her presidency, the council was named the 2024 State Chamber of the Year by the National Association of State Chambers and received the 2024 Leadership Award from the Council of State Manufacturing Associations. A graduate of Albany Law School, Mulligan previously worked as a lobbyist and consultant, in addition to holding a number of legislative and counsel positions with the state Legislature.
24. Emily Giske and Juanita Scarlett
At the New York government relations firm of Bolton-St. Johns, Emily Giske and Juanita Scarlett are the architects of many client victories. Giske, a senior partner and a prominent state Democrat, launched the firm’s Washington, D.C., practice after making her mark on the New York City and Albany offices. Her lobbying has been integral to several state-level legislative wins for LGBTQ+ rights. Scarlett, a partner, specializes in health care, energy, education and economic development. She previously held several leadership positions in the gubernatorial administrations of Eliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo.
Editor’s note: Juanita Scarlett is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
25. Suri Kasirer
Since founding her lobbying firm in 1997, Suri Kasirer has built Kasirer into one of New York City’s top-ranked advocacy outfits – and landed on numerous awards lists of New York’s most powerful women. She began her career as a teacher before working as an assistant to then-Gov. Mario Cuomo. She now heads a firm that prides itself on linguistic and cultural fluency – and secures results for an encyclopedic client list that includes many of the city’s most influential, in sectors from real estate and labor to hospitality, media and finance.
26. Yvette Clarke, Grace Meng, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Nydia Velázquez
Six years removed from being a bartender, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is now one of the most famous women in American politics and universally known simply as AOC. She traveled to Pennsylvania to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris, called for a U.S. arms embargo toward Israel and backed Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. She’s also the vice ranking member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
The most senior New York Democrat and vice ranking member on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Grace Meng is in position to deliver for the state and her home borough of Queens. Meng teamed up with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez to obtain $190 million in federal funding to combat flooding in Queens and worked with the U.S. Commerce Department to secure $3.8 million for clean energy workforce development programs in Queens.
The first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, Rep. Nydia Velázquez serves as the top Democrat on the House Small Business Committee. Velázquez joined with Ocasio-Cortez to endorse center-left candidates for Puerto Rico governor and the island’s nonvoting seat in Congress. Velázquez recently had her portrait hung in the U.S. Capitol to celebrate being the first Hispanic woman to chair a congressional committee.
A member of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Yvette Clarke has been focused on issues related to technology. This year, she used a parliamentary maneuver to force a congressional vote on bipartisan legislation she introduced with U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio to extend funding of a federal broadband program. She has called artificial intelligence bias a civil rights issue.
27. Laura Gillen
Talk about a comeback. Laura Gillen’s two-year term as the first Democratic Hempstead town supervisor in generations ended with a reelection defeat in 2019, and then she lost in a congressional race two years ago. But this month, Gillen defeated Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito by a narrow margin to flip a key Long Island congressional seat. Gillen focused on border security issues, following the playbook Rep. Tom Suozzi used in a special election earlier this year.
28. Christine Quinn
Former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn heads Win, New York City’s largest provider of shelter and supportive services for homeless families. Under her leadership, Win has expanded its reach, with 16 shelters and 450 supportive housing units serving 10,300 homeless individuals last year. Quinn was in the City Council for over a decade, including two terms as its first female and first out gay speaker. She also co-founded a coalition to advocate for maintaining the city’s right to shelter amid an influx of migrants.
29. Robin Chappelle Golston
Robin Chappelle Golston is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, a role she first held starting in 2017. After a two-year stint as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive deputy secretary, she returned earlier this year to the helm. The nonprofit organization represents Planned Parenthood in New York, advocating for policies that uphold the organization’s mission around sexual health and reproductive rights. Golston has a background in government relations and has worked as a political director for both U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and former U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
30. Wendy Stark
As president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, Wendy Stark builds on a lifelong commitment to reproductive rights and medical care, particularly for marginalized communities. Stark took over leadership of the organization, its 22 health center network and its affiliated Action Fund in 2022, shortly after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Under her leadership, the organization streamlined its electronic medical record system, launched its first virtual health center and raised close to $25 million to boost its outreach. Despite a dismal election cycle on the left, voters did pass an Equal Rights Amendment in New York that enshrines protections for abortions in the state constitution.
31. Vanessa Gibson
The Bronx’s first woman and first Black borough president is Democrat Vanessa Gibson. Gibson was elected in 2021 after serving two terms each in the Assembly and on the New York City Council, where she championed public safety, affordable housing and infrastructure improvements. Taking office during the COVID-19 pandemic, the borough president has continued to prioritize those issues, along with public health and food insecurity. Next year, she’s set to face New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. in a closely watched primary to keep her post.
32. Marie Therese Dominiguez, Adrienne Harris, Hope Knight, Jeanette Moy, Roberta Reardon & RuthAnne Visnauskas
Prior to becoming state transportation commissioner, Marie Therese Dominiguez held top federal infrastructure jobs and was the nation’s stamp czar. In New York, she has been focused on reconnecting communities divided by highways and bridges. She also found herself at the center of the congestion pricing debate, as the governor carried out a pause of the program in June by instructing Dominguez not to sign a key document that would allow the project to move forward. Hochul is now unpausing the program.
As the top banking and insurance regulator in the world financial capital, state Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris is at the forefront of a number of critical issues. Harris shut down Signature Bank last year and recently released new rules related to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight helped to open the new Chan Zuckerberg BioHub in New York City, part of the growth of the city’s life sciences economy. This year, she traveled to Tokyo in hopes of attracting Japanese semiconductor companies to join Micron in Central New York.
RuthAnne Visnauskas is in the thick of one of the top issues facing the state: housing. Working to implement the compromise plan in the latest state budget. The state housing chief has been looking to award $650 million to newly designated “pro-housing communities.”
State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy isn’t just overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in state spending. Moy was tasked by Hochul to conduct a review of the state’s troubled Office of Cannabis Management. Moy is also restoring the state Capitol’s courtyard and is the governor’s commanding general in a war on courtyard pigeons.
The co-founding president of SAG-AFTRA, Roberta Reardon has been educating the state about minimum wage increases and clawing back overpayments in state unemployment benefits. Reardon is also promoting ways to increase employment in the agriculture sector.
33. Ana María Archila & Jasmine Gripper
A year ago, Ana María Archila and Jasmine Gripper were named co-directors for the New York Working Families Party, just in time to make a difference in this fall’s election. Gripper, a Queens native, previously was the executive director of The Alliance for Quality Education, where she secured record funding for New York’s public school system. Archila, a well-known grassroots activist, co-directed and expanded the Center for Popular Democracy and also co-founded Make the Road New York, a progressive immigrants’ group. This election cycle, they helped Josh Riley flip a key congressional seat, but saw Mondaire Jones’ challenge to Rep. Mike Lawler fizzle.
34. Nancy Hagans & Pat Kane
Steering the nursing profession through a time of transition, Nancy Hagans and Pat Kane lead the 42,000-member New York State Nurses Association as president and executive director, respectively. Hagans is a longtime nurse at Maimonides Medical Center, where she helped negotiate a contract ensuring higher wages and better workplace standards. She was recently appointed to National Nurses United’s Council of Presidents. Kane served as NYSNA’s director at large and union treasurer prior to assuming the top post in 2019. She previously had a three-decade nursing career at Staten Island University Hospital.
35. Valerie Berlin
Valerie Berlin is a principal at BerlinRosen, the New York City public relations firm she co-founded nearly two decades ago – and built into a progressive powerhouse that was recently named “Outstanding Large Agency of the Year” by PR Week. Earlier this year, Berlin also made a splash with the launch of Orchestra, formerly known as BerlinRosen Holdings, with eight firms operating independently under a single corporate parent. Berlin previously spent two decades as a campaign manager and political communications director, including with the state Senate.
36. Catherine Torres
Attorney Catherine Torres, a prominent figure in New York’s Hispanic political class, is a partner and counsel at the MirRam Group, where she serves as chief compliance officer and heads the strategy firm’s New York City lobbying practice. The Bronx native is a former Puerto Rican Bar Association president and was the highest-ranking Latina to work at the New York City Council, where she was the speaker’s deputy chief of staff. She also ran the state Puerto Rican/Hispanic Legislative Task Force and has directed the Bronx Democratic County Committee.
37. Bhairavi Desai
Bhairavi Desai defends those responsible for keeping New York City on the move. As executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, she heads an AFL-CIO-affiliated organization of 25,000 members she founded to represent the interests of 180,000 drivers of the city’s iconic yellow cabs, as well as livery, black car and ride-hailing drivers. Under Desai’s leadership, the union has won a cost-of-living raise and industry regulations on behalf of its drivers and established a first-in-the-nation taxi workers’ health and disability fund.
38. Melissa Aviles-Ramos, Laurie Cumbo, Muriel Goode-Trufant, Allison Stoddart & Jessica Tisch
The ongoing investigations into the Adams administration have spurred turnover in its top ranks – and opened up unexpected opportunities for a promotion. Sanitation Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch, widely seen as one of the mayor’s more effective appointees, is a rumored contender to be the city’s next police commissioner. At the Department of Sanitation, Tisch has found ways to reinvent trash collection and is a general in the mayor’s war on rats, unveiling new official city trash bins and starring in a comedic video to promote the transition.
Cultural Affairs Department Commissioner Laurie Cumbo is one of the few longtime Adams allies to stay put despite an indictment of the mayor. A former majority leader of the New York City Council, Cumbo has served as the city’s cultural affairs commissioner since March 2022. A longtime arts leader before entering government, Cumbo has been elevating smaller cultural institutions, particularly in the outer boroughs, and highlighting the sector as an economic driver.
A former English teacher in the Bronx, Melissa Aviles-Ramos moved up from a deputy chancellor family and community engagement to New York City schools chancellor in October to succeed David Banks, who was pushed out following an FBI raid on his home. Aviles-Ramos has promised school stability, family empowerment and a focus on child well-being.
A career New York City government attorney, Muriel Goode-Trufant became acting corporation counsel in May. After another nominee faced staunch opposition in the New York City Council, she’s now the mayor’s pick to be the city’s top attorney. Goode-Trufant joined the city’s Law Department in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become first assistant corporation counsel last year. In another promotion stemming from the tumult at City Hall, Allison Stoddart took over as chief counsel to the mayor in October, following the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Lisa Zornberg. Stoddart, a former attorney at WilmerHale, was Zornberg’s chief of staff.
39. Tyquana Henderson-Rivers
Tyquana Henderson-Rivers, a veteran campaign strategist, is the founder, president and CEO of New York City-based Connective Strategies. Her clients have included FedEx, NYC Health + Hospitals, Airbnb and Walmart, but she’s best known as perhaps the top political consultant in Queens. Henderson-Rivers, who began her career at the New York City Council, specializes in grassroots community organizing and has employed that skill on campaigns for Gov. Kathy Hochul, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.
40. Bea Grause
As president of the Healthcare Association of New York State, Bea Grause represents New York’s nonprofit and public hospitals and health systems, and she also oversees its national for-profit business services. Most recently, her advocacy has secured Medicaid rate increases, capital and supportive funding, and essential workforce provisions for her members. Her organization also released a report, “The Case for Change,” on the challenges faced by New York’s health care delivery system. Grause previously headed the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.
41. Tiffany Raspberry
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has had a far more cordial relationship with the governor than his predecessor did, but at the same time he has faced a New York City Council that’s been much more adversarial. That conflict has put Tiffany Raspberry, a longtime Adams ally, in a tough spot as she seeks to negotiate with city lawmakers. The City Council has already overridden the mayor’s veto multiple times and pressured the Adams administration into dropping a controversial meeting request form that Raspberry had defended.
42. Mylan Denerstein
A member of New York, national and Black legal associations, Mylan Denerstein is a litigation partner and co-partner in charge of the New York office of Gibson Dunn. She also co-chairs the firm’s Public Policy Practice Group and serves as global chair of its Diversity Committee. A prominent figure in white-collar and government investigations, Denerstein has held numerous government roles, including as counsel to the New York governor, and is a former federal prosecutor. She’s now keeping a close eye on the NYPD as a federal monitor overseeing court-ordered reforms.
43. Risa Heller
Known as one of New York’s go-to crisis communicators, Risa Heller helms her eponymous communications and public affairs consultancy. Her client list has included a roster of bold-faced names – including Mario Batali and Jared Kushner – and some of New York’s most powerful people, many of whom rely on Heller to spin them out of sticky situations. Heller honed her political skills as communications director for U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and former Gov. David Paterson.
44. Camille Joseph-Goldman
Camille Joseph-Goldman is the group vice president for state government affairs at Charter Communications, overseeing government affairs in a region stretching from Harlem to Bangor, Maine. Joseph-Goldman joined in 2016, connecting communities throughout the Northeast to Spectrum’s growing network and suite of products. A Bronx native and a veteran of both Obama presidential campaigns, Joseph-Goldman previously served as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s director of intergovernmental affairs and, in 2014, became New York City’s youngest deputy comptroller.
45. Cristyne Nicholas
Widely credited with reviving New York City’s post-9/11 tourism industry as the longtime chief of NYC & Co., the city’s tourism agency, Cristyne Nicholas now heads the firm of Nicholas & Lence Communications. She also hosts a weekly radio show on AM 970 The Answer focused on New York tourism and hospitality and champions those industries as chair of the Broadway Association. She has also been an outspoken opponent of congestion pricing, arguing that it would harm hospitality workers commuting into Manhattan.
46. Jennifer Jones Austin
Longtime social activist Jennifer Jones Austin is the CEO and executive director of FPWA, a 102-year-old organization that supports the work of its 160-plus member agencies. Jones Austin also serves on the state Community Commission on Reparations Remedies and promotes social justice as an author, public speaker and radio host. She was also named co-chair recently of the National True Cost of Living Coalition, which is pushing for a national measure of need based on economic security. She previously led New York City’s pioneering Racial Justice Commission as well as the city Board of Correction, helping end solitary confinement in New York City’s jails.
47. Rachel Noerdlinger
Rachel Noerdlinger, known as a consultant to some of New York City’s top names, is currently a partner at Actum, the global public strategy firm. She draws on her experience handling communications for the likes of the Rev. Al Sharpton and former New York City first lady Chirlane McCray, for whom she served as chief of staff. Noerdlinger has also run her own public relations firm and, more recently, served as a partner and managing director at Mercury, where she managed George Floyd’s funeral.
48. Grace Bonilla
Grace Bonilla heads United Way of New York City, a nonprofit devoted to low-income New Yorkers. Under her leadership, the organization coordinates a variety of health, education and community assistance programs. Bonilla, an attorney, has a long involvement with Hispanic communities, having previously served as senior vice president for Latin America at Covenant House International and as president and CEO of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families. She was also the first executive director of former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Task Force on Racial Equity and Inclusion.
49. Kerri Lyon
Kerri Lyon is a partner in the New York office of SKDK, the national public affairs firm that also has locations in Washington, D.C., Albany and Los Angeles. Lyon began her career as a reporter for New York television stations, including NY1, before bringing her communications expertise to the New York City Department of Education. Since 2010, Lyon has held leadership roles with SKDK, specializing in crisis communications, executive transitions and coalition management.
50. Julie Tighe
Julie Tighe, a longtime crusader for the environment, has headed the New York League of Conservation Voters since 2018. Her advocacy helped enact landmark pieces of state legislation around progressive climate goals, clean air and water, and emissions reductions as well as increased funding for green infrastructure. Tighe previously held a number of roles at the state Department of Environmental Conservation, where she championed a $1 billion Superfund measure and state brownfield cleanup reform.
51. Lisa Silverstein
Last year, Lisa Silverstein assumed the role of CEO at Silverstein Properties, the New York City real estate outfit founded in 1957 by her father – and which is best known for the World Trade Center redevelopment in the wake of 9/11. Silverstein, who is also the firm’s vice chair, leads a company with a $10 billion-plus portfolio across Manhattan, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. She is also a prominent New York philanthropist who has been active with New York University, UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.
52. Christina Dickinson
Christina Dickinson is a founding partner in the New York lobbying and government affairs firm of Dickinson & Avella. A graduate of Albany Law School, Dickinson draws on more than a decade of experience in state government, including serving as deputy counsel for the state Senate Democrats. Most recently, she is known for her advocacy around voting reforms, including measures creating automatic voter registration, vote by mail and restoring voter rights restoration for formerly incarcerated individuals.
53. Michele de Milly
Michele de Milly’s surname is her brand: It’s one-half of Geto & de Milly, the New York City public affairs firm that she co-founded in 1980. With clients throughout the media, health care, labor, corporate and nonprofit worlds, de Milly is a trusted strategist for many of the city’s most influential names. Prior to launching the firm, she held leadership positions with the New York State Urban Development Corp. Among the firm’s clients she works with are the South Street Seaport, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Solow Management Corp.
54. Donna Lieberman
Attorney Donna Lieberman has headed the New York Civil Liberties Union for nearly a quarter century, expanding the organization to nearly 200,000 members and eight offices statewide. Under Lieberman’s leadership, the organization has played a pivotal role in key police and prison reforms as well as the passage of landmark legislation around same-sex marriage and paid family leave. Lieberman also spearheaded the group’s Reproductive Rights Project and established a youth organizing and leadership development program to cultivate the next generation of activists.
55. Diana Ostroff
Lobbyist Diana Ostroff has spent three decades as an advocate for private sector clients, including Regeneron, CVS Health and Siemens. Now chief operating officer at Ostroff Associates, she got her start lobbying for The Business Council of New York State, managing state legislative and regulatory initiatives around consumer and financial services as well as e-commerce, contract procurement and insurance. Currently, Ostroff serves on the board of Albany County Business Development Corp.’s AI Tech Loan Fund and the board of Siena College.
56. Beth Finkel
Over nearly three decades at the helm of AARP New York, Beth Finkel has played a key role in numerous policy changes on behalf of her constituency: 2.6 million New Yorkers over the age of 50. Her efforts helped pass assisted living protections, paid family leave, measures against predatory lending, and promoting affordable housing and support for caregivers. A social worker by trade, Finkel has served on numerous state task forces and convened several statewide coalitions dedicated to issues facing older adults.
57. Marguerite Wells
As she likes to joke, Marguerite Wells earned a master’s degree in environmental sustainability before anyone had even heard of the word “sustainability.” The fifth-generation New Yorker recently brought her passion for renewable energy to the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, where, as executive director, she heads the organization’s advocacy for policy supporting New York’s clean energy movement. Wells previously ran the New York development office of Invenergy, a renewables outfit with a 2,000-megawatt portfolio, and had her own green roof business.
58. Lisa Marrello
A partner at Park Strategies in Albany, Lisa Marrello is a veteran government relations attorney who advises clients on policy development, appropriations funding, and manages administrative and regulatory matters before public agencies. While the bulk of her career has been in private practice, Marrello has deep knowledge of government stemming from her time as counsel and chief of staff to a committee chair at the Assembly and as an assistant legislative representative for New York City mayor’s office.
59. Jan Feuerstadt
Jan Feuerstadt is a partner at the bipartisan consulting and communications firm Mercury, where she has been a partner since 2020 and currently manages its state and city government relations practice. Feuerstadt, who joined Mercury’s Top 10 lobbying outfit in 2015, had a previous stint at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She is an expert on energy, the environment, education, health care, financial technology and social causes. Feuerstadt has also provided pro bono services for the Alzheimer’s Association.
60. Lupe Todd-Medina
At Effective Media Strategies, Lupe Todd-Medina brings a bilingual immigrant’s perspective to campaigns that successfully communicate across diverse audiences. Prior to founding the Brooklyn consultancy in 2013, the Panama-born consultant directed communications for Brooklyn’s first Black district attorney, Kenneth Thompson, as well as for the campaigns of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, then-Newark Mayor Cory Booker and others. More recently, Todd-Medina served as a consultant for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s reelection campaign.
Editor’s note: Lupe Todd-Medina is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
61. Rose Christ & Katie Schwab
Katie Schwab and Rose Christ oversee the New York practice at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, the government relations arm of the law and lobbying firm. Christ specializes in nonprofit organizations, working to secure funding and support for cultural and social services clients throughout the five boroughs. Her advocacy has helped the Whitney Museum of American Art create a large-scale installation in Hudson River Park and was the impetus for the new Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Schwab, who holds a law degree from the University of Virginia, specializes in helping clients navigate New York City’s regulatory and legislative landscapes. Her insights come partly from previous roles in New York City and Nassau County government.
62. Rebecca Damon
As the New York local executive director and chief labor policy officer for SAG-AFTRA, Rebecca Damon is at the heart of America’s creative industries in an era of sweeping technological change. She oversees the locals outside both New York and Los Angeles, key cities for a 160,000-strong union representing actors, journalists, dancers, recording artists and other media professionals. Damon was a key player in the merger of the SAG and AFTRA unions and is a vice president of the New York State AFL-CIO Executive Council.
63. Sonia Ossorio
For nearly 20 years, Sonia Ossorio has devoted her career to women’s advocacy at the National Organization for Women – New York City. Since 2009, Ossorio has been the organization’s executive director, appearing on English- and Spanish-language media as the face of the women’s rights organization. With women still underrepresented in elected office and abortion access being limited in many states, Ossorio has stepped up advocacy through the organization’s legislative campaigns, NOW-NYC’s PAC, new corporate partnerships and the launch of a charity affiliate, Women’s Justice NOW.
64. Mary Beth Labate
Mary Beth Labate, the former president of the Commission on Independent Colleges & Universities in New York, brings her deep knowledge of policy and the state budget to Brown & Weinraub, the top-rated Albany government relations firm where she is senior adviser. Labate has particular expertise in education and state funding, having served as senior adviser to the chancellor for fiscal policy at the State University of New York and, prior to that, working for more than 20 years in the state Division of the Budget.
65. Suzette Noble
As CEO of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, Suzette Noble heads the private consortium chosen to manage the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport Terminal B. Noble, a senior executive with Vantage Airport Group, joined LaGuardia Gateway Partners as chief operating officer in 2021 and, under her leadership, saw Terminal B named “World’s Best New Airport Terminal” by a leading airport rating firm. Noble’s previous hospitality and tourism roles include positions with Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts, Krispy Kreme and Great Wolf Lodge.
66. Susan Arbetter
As political anchor for Spectrum News NY1, Susan Arbetter keeps Empire State viewers up on the latest from Albany and upstate New York. Arbetter is the host of “Capital Tonight,” a nightly show where the veteran journalist explores everything from this fall’s election ballot measures to goings-on at Buffalo City Hall. A member of the Women’s Press Club of New York State Hall of Honor, Arbetter previously covered politics for WCNY, the Syracuse PBS station where she was the Capitol correspondent for a decade.
67. Jessica Lappin
Jessica Lappin has helmed the Alliance for Downtown New York, America’s largest business improvement district, since 2014. Under her guidance, the organization operates public safety and social services, sanitation and a bus route to make lower Manhattan safer and more functional. Lappin, a lifelong New Yorker who previously served two terms on the New York City Council, crusaded for the district’s small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping secure $1 million to strengthen the area’s social and economic ecosystem.
68. Eva Moskowitz
Founder and CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools – Eva Moskowitz has held a number of roles, but they all come back to education. In 2006, she founded Success Academy Charter Schools, which now educates 22,000 K-12 students in 57 schools catering to underserved New York communities. Moskowitz, a former history professor, is a Democrat who chaired the Education Committee in the New York City Council. Most recently, she authored the book, "A+ Parenting: The Surprisingly Fun Guide to Raising Surprisingly Smart Kids."
69. Danna DeBlasio
New Yorkers can thank Danna DeBlasio for playing a key role in passing the city’s outdoor dining bill as well as policies targeting retail theft and easing neighborhood deliveries. That kind of savvy defines DeBlasio’s role as partner at CMW Strategies, a lobbying and public affairs firm that’s ranked in the Top 10 in New York City, where she guides clients in a variety of sectors through the legislative process. She also secures funding for nonprofit clients and negotiates multiagency approvals and procurement opportunities.
70. Jeanne Mullgrav
For more than a decade, Jeanne Mullgrav has led strategic advisory services at the New York City firm Capalino, where she is the managing director. Mullgrav joined the firm, which specializes in city and state government relations, in 2014 after a dozen years as commissioner of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development. Among her wins are helping secure $30 million for the foster care nonprofit Fair Futures and pushing to pass the NY HERO Act, which protects employees against exposure during disease outbreaks.
71. Tricia Asaro
Tricia Asaro co-chairs the Health Care & FDA Practice at Greenberg Traurig, where she is also administrative shareholder of the Albany office. A specialist in health law, insurance law and government policy, Asaro represents health plans in matters involving regulatory compliance and business affairs and negotiates transactions for health care entities. Licensed in both New York and Washington, D.C., she is regularly listed among the region’s top health and government relations legal experts.
72. Kiara St. James
Two decades ago, before transgender issues made daily headlines, Kiara St. James was a Black transgender activist driven to combat discrimination. As co-founder and executive director of New York Transgender Advocacy Group, St. James has been at the forefront of advocacy that has yielded concrete gains – including changes to shelter policies and the passage of New York’s Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act. Under her leadership, the organization offers cultural sensitivity training, a youth advocacy program and other initiatives on behalf of the community.
73. Shontell Smith
Brands as iconic as McDonald’s, NYU and the Metropolitan Museum of Art turn to Shontell Smith to oversee their public policy campaigns. Smith is an attorney and government affairs professional and a partner at Tusk Strategies, where she heads the New York practice. She honed her political skills over a decade as chief of staff and chief counsel to state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a role in which she negotiated key legislation around voting reforms, gun safety, criminal justice and cannabis legalization.
74. Taryn Duffy
Taryn Duffy makes sure MGM Resorts’ Northeast destinations – including Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa – are top of mind in the nation’s most densely populated region. Duffy serves as vice president of public affairs for MGM Resorts Northeast Group, including properties in Massachusetts and Maryland and Yonkers’ Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, which is expected to be a strong contender for one of three full-fledged commercial casino licenses in the downstate region. Duffy, a recent chair of the New York Gaming Association, serves on the Business Council of Westchester’s executive committee.
75. Jennifer Richardson
Jennifer Richardson brings well over a decade of experience with New York City and state legislative, regulatory and budgetary matters to her role as senior vice president at Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates. Her recent successes include advocacy on behalf of minority- and women-owned businesses, injured workers and the financial sector. Richardson previously served as the deputy director for then-Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Office of State Legislative Affairs, and she also oversaw state legislative affairs for the city Department of Education.
76. Kara Hughes
O’Donnell & Associates is already one of the top government relations firms in Western New York, and Kara Hughes is building up its presence in New York City. As senior adviser and head of the firm’s New York City practice, she assists corporations, elected officials and advocacy groups in navigating government. Hughes started out on Capitol Hill, worked on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s first U.S. Senate campaign, served as Clinton’s director of economic development and later became director of legislative affairs in Bill de Blasio’s mayoral administration.
77. Yvette Buckner
Yvette Buckner brings two decades of government and advocacy experience to the Buckner Group, the New York City political consultancy she founded a year ago. Formerly a partner at Adams Buckner Advisors, she has secured millions in funding for her clients and helped pass legislation combating employment discrimination. Buckner began as a community organizer, worked for former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson and co-chairs The New Majority NYC, which has boosted female representation on the New York City Council.
78. Phoebe Boyer
In the decade since Phoebe Boyer was installed as president and CEO of Children’s Aid, she has increased the organization’s budget to $184 million and strengthened services reaching 50,000 children and families annually in underserved neighborhoods. Under Boyer’s leadership, Children’s Aid was recognized with a Nonprofit Excellence Award from the New York Community Trust for exceptional management practices. Boyer, who chairs the board of her alma mater, Wesleyan University, previously led the $1 billion Robertson Foundation, where she spearheaded a K-12 educational reform strategy.
79. Saima Anjam
Saima Anjam brings a deep environmental and social justice commitment to her advocacy at The Parkside Group, a New York City campaign firm where she is senior vice president. Her recent efforts have secured millions for clean air and water research that is used in enforcement lawsuits by the Office of the New York State Attorney General. Anjam, who previously headed advocacy at the New York Immigration Coalition, also helped score $1.25 million in state funding for the Timbuctoo Climate Science and Careers Summer Institute, a high school workforce development program.
80. Lymaris Albors
Wielding a $500 million budget, Lymaris Albors brings youthful vision and deep commitment to the Acacia Network in New York City, one of the state’s largest Hispanic-led nonprofits. Since joining the organization in 2022, Albors has steered the integration of high-impact affiliates, including Loisaida, a storied Manhattan cultural outfit, and managed Acacia’s expansion into her native Puerto Rico. Her training includes a master’s degree in public communications and executive leadership programs at the National Hispana Leadership Institute and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
81. Susan Birnbaum
The New York City Police Department has a friend in Susan Birnbaum, who since 2011 has headed the New York City Police Foundation, the nonprofit organization that funds programs, training and technologies to support the NYPD. Birnbaum, who holds a master’s degree of social work in community development, previously directed the Columbia College Fund at Columbia University and was a longtime fundraiser for the UJA-Federation of New York.
82. Juanita O. Lewis
Juanita O. Lewis, who has led Community Voices Heard since 2021, recently marked the 30th anniversary of the progressive advocacy organization. A veteran campaigner, Lewis joined Community Voices Heard in 2009 as a Yonkers organizer, and then became Hudson Valley organizer director in 2016 before taking the top leadership post. She’s also a national trainer with Vote Run Lead, a nonpartisan organization that prepares women for electoral office, the chair of People’s Action and a board member for African Communities Together.
83. Kimberly Nason
Since 2020, Kimberly Nason has been a partner at Phillips Lytle, a law firm with offices in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Canada and all across New York. Nason specializes in land use and energy and environmental law, including compliance with the state Environmental Quality Review Act. Perhaps the most high-profile project she’s working on, however, is the environmental impact review for the new Buffalo Bills stadium. She also serves on the boards of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House.
84. Jane Letts
Jane Letts’ career has flourished over three decades at KPMG, which she joined in 1993, shortly after earning her accounting degree. Currently a partner at the global firm, Letts serves as audit sector leader for the KPMG’s state and local government audit practice. Under her guidance are some of KPMG’s most important government clients in areas including health care, educational institutions and pension plans, whose complex needs she serves with advice around accounting, various types of audits as well as state and federal laws.
85. Tricia Richardson
Tricia Richardson leads the New York state political agenda for the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, which represents more than 28,000 laborers across New York and New England. A two-decade union member, Richardson also chairs the PAC for the Greater Capital Region Building & Construction Trades Council. Her efforts have helped pass an electronic payroll bill and legislation expanding the state’s prevailing wage requirement, along with electing labor-friendly candidates like Rep. Tom Suozzi and Rep.-elect George Latimer.
86. Debbie Almontaser
In a city and an era defined by diversity, Debbie Almontaser helps New Yorkers navigate a multicultural landscape with Bridging Cultures Group, the diversity consultancy she founded and heads. She has long been active in the New York City’s cultural affairs, serving as president of New York’s Muslim Community Network and, in 2005, organizing New York City’s first Arab Heritage Week. Almontaser was also the founding principal of Khalil Gibran International Academy, the nation’s first English-Arabic public school.
87. Natalia Cineas
As a senior vice president and chief nurse executive at NYC Health + Hospitals, Natalia Cineas supervises clinical care for the nation’s largest municipal public health system, which serves 1.4 million people in 70 locations across New York City. Cineas also co-chairs the organization’s Health and Equity Access Council, guiding systemwide strategies to achieve diversity and inclusion goals. She holds a doctorate of nursing practice and, prior to joining NYC Health + Hospitals, held nursing leadership roles at several major New York City hospitals.
88. Maggie Moran
Not content to have launched a successful public affairs firm and orchestrated a major merger, Maggie Moran founded Moxie Strategies in 2023, adding to her reputation as an ace strategist and entrepreneur. She began her career heading management and operations for the state of New Jersey and has worked for two U.S. senators and three governors and managed statewide campaigns. At Moxie, Moran runs a boutique outfit that combines strategy with data, analytics and advertising savvy to boost her clients’ business, issues and campaigns.
89. Sade Lythcott
As CEO of New York City’s National Black Theatre, Sade Lythcott literally walks in her mother’s footsteps. She is the daughter of the late Barbara Ann Teer, who founded the nation’s first commercial Black arts complex to champion African American culture. Lythcott continues that tradition, serving as chair of New York City’s Coalition of Theaters of Color and advocating at the city and state levels for greater and more equitable arts funding.
90. Aislinn McGuire
Labor lawyer Aislinn McGuire is the managing director and former general counsel for the Contractors’ Association of Greater New York, an industry organization whose interests include collective bargaining, workplace safety standards and industry legislative advocacy. McGuire is also a member at Kauff McGuire & Margolis, a Manhattan firm specializing in labor, employment and immigration law. She focuses on representing employers in labor-management relations and employment issues.
91. Sharon Brown
A partner and co-chair of the Public Finance Practice Area at Barclay Damon, Sharon Brown advises state and local governmental entities on structuring and issuing municipal bonds, ensuring compliance with federal tax laws while maximizing funding for vital projects. Brown, who’s based in New York City, also serves as Barclay Damon’s diversity partner and chair of the firm’s Diversity Partner Committee, promoting an inclusive environment that drives meaningful change within the firm and the legal community.
92. Tia Dole
Tia Dole, a clinical psychologist and a crusader for vulnerable populations, serves as chief officer for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a national service administered by the nonprofit Vibrant Emotional Health. Dole previously led The Steve Fund, a national organization focused on young people of color’s mental health; she also expanded clinical operations at The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth.
93. Eileen Cifone
Eileen Cifone has guided outreach for more than a dozen years at National Grid, a major utility whose electricity and natural gas provide power to millions of people across New York. As director of government and community relations, Cifone lobbies on behalf of the New York City service market, working with local and state officials on New York’s renewable energy goals. She draws on a dozen years of experience managing New York City government relations at the New York City Council.
94. Rachel Rea
A technology executive with two decades of experience in the wireless sector, Rachel Rea has spent the past five years overseeing operations at Boingo Wireless, a national cellular and Wi-Fi network provider. She has helped install Boingo infrastructure at New York’s major airports and commuter rail hubs as well as many commercial properties, including Rockefeller Center. Rea managed the implementation of an underground 5G and Wi-Fi network at the Grand Central Madison terminal. She also works with the nonprofit SEEDS, which supports high-achieving, low-income students.
95. Ebonie Simpson
As executive director of The New Majority NYC, Ebonie Simpson heads a political organization that aims to increase gender parity in New York electoral politics. In 2021, the organization exceeded its goal of electing 21 women to the New York City Council. Simpson, who was named Manhattan Young Democrats’ 2024 Young Leader of the Year, has also led The Lower Eastside Girls Club of New York and was an associate director at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations.
96. Rochelle Kelly-Apson
A former downstate director of intergovernmental affairs in the governor’s office, Rochelle Kelly-Apson brings extensive experience in government and public affairs to her work at McBride Consulting and Business Development Group. At McBride, Kelly-Apson has worked on such issues as school bus safety, gambling, transportation and wind energy. She has been deputy chief of staff for the town of Hempstead, the nation’s largest township, and deputy director of intergovernmental affairs in the state attorney general’s office.
97. Stephanie Marquez
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Ponce Bank manager Stephanie Marquez stepped up: She deftly handled the avalanche of Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, providing a lifeline to neighborhood enterprises at a perilous moment. Marquez, who has more than a decade of experience in banking and finance, is now a Small Business Administration servicing officer at the Bronx-based institution, where she continues to bolster community finance – one mom-and-pop shop at a time.
98. Maggie Drucker
As the chief legal officer at Grubhub, Maggie Drucker has helped steer the popular food delivery app over a dozen critical years of growth in New York City and beyond. Drucker has advised the app’s management through litigation, a merger with rival Seamless, an IPO and the eventual sale of the company. She has previously held counsel roles at The New York Times Co., Simon & Schuster and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, where she was senior vice president.
99. Taylor Kaston
Taylor Kaston leads IBM’s technology sales in New York, working with public safety and law enforcement agencies across the city and state to coordinate critical information technology systems. At IBM, Kaston has worked on cloud and artificial intelligence software for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Justice and Department of State. The lifelong New Yorker is also vice president of the Emerging Leaders program for the New York Founders chapter of the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association.
100. Cara Eckholm
Urban and economic development specialist Cara Eckholm helps tackle some of New York’s biggest challenges, from zoning to sustainability. As a fellow at Cornell Tech, Eckholm recently worked with the New York City Economic Development Corp. on a technology plan. She also served on an expert panel convened by Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams to revitalize the region’s post-pandemic economy. With Eckholm Studios, her clients include state and federal agencies, including Empire State Development and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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