Power Lists
The 2025 New York City Power 100
The political players navigating an uncertain new era.
City & State presents the 2025 New York City Power 100. dreamscapes / 500pm/Getty Images
Who really runs New York City?
Is it Mayor Eric Adams, despite a spate of scandals, low approval ratings and a horde of political rivals seeking to supplant him? Is it Gov. Kathy Hochul, a moderate upstater who’s been in the thick of New York City’s affairs lately, whether it’s implementing congestion pricing or protecting migrants? Or President Donald Trump, who has unleashed a flood of orders and directives upending the lives of many New Yorkers while his administration moves to drop a corruption case against the mayor?
Each year, City & State’s New York City Power 100 aims to capture the ever-evolving power structure in the nation’s largest city, but it’s never been more difficult to arrive at an accurate assessment of the pecking order. Will Adams still be in office next year, even if his legal liabilities disappear? How many governing responsibilities are being delegated to top appointees, who may have less than a year in their jobs? Will former Gov. Andrew Cuomo enter the fray to primary Adams – and if not, can the mayor fend off the rest of the field?
There’s even more uncertainty at the federal level, as an emboldened Trump tests the limits of his power. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries still lead their respective conferences, but Democrats are struggling to find their footing. State Attorney General Letitia James is battling in the courts – although she and others could face retaliation. Power brokers in labor, higher education and other sectors are adapting to the new political reality too.
Read on to see who’s navigating the political winds – and staying afloat – in New York City’s unpredictable new era.
Editor's note: This list went to press on Friday, Feb. 14, and published in print on Monday, Feb. 17. It does not reflect the news reported over the long holiday weekend that four New York City deputy mayors would resign.
1. Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul may have had some lucky breaks in a career that took her from serving on a town council in suburban Buffalo to now dominating the governance of the nation’s largest city, but she’s certainly learned how to wield power along the way. When New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal indictment drew attention to the governor’s power to remove Adams from office, she quickly had the mayor push out controversial advisers – and now she is facing renewed pressure to oust Adams. Hochul has firmly established her command of the city’s mass transit system too, dispatching the National Guard to bolster the perception of subway safety and belatedly implementing the nation’s first congestion pricing program.
2. Donald Trump
President Donald Trump may officially be a Floridian, but there’s no doubting the Queens native still has his eye on New York City. He returned to the White House last month with his New York criminal case behind him thanks to an unconditional discharge. He picked several New Yorkers for his Cabinet and other top posts in his second administration and has weighed in on a number of city issues. Trump has vowed to cancel congestion pricing and is considering raising the state and local tax deduction cap as part of his tax package at the urging of Republican lawmakers. He has also become close to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who attended Trump’s inauguration – and Trump’s Department of Justice has demanded that the mayor’s case be dropped, at least through the election.
3. Eric Adams
Last year had its positives for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but they’ve been overshadowed by his federal indictment and the investigations targeting his inner circle. Despite passage of Adams’ ambitious City of Yes housing plan and a new city trash can, city government was often engulfed in chaos, careening from crisis to crisis. Following the indictment, Adams at times played second fiddle to Gov. Kathy Hochul in his own administration – and began kowtowing to President Donald Trump, whose administration has requested that the mayor’s legal troubles disappear. Meanwhile, a former governor is far ahead of Adams in early mayoral primary polling.
4. Adrienne Adams
Eric Adams may be the mayor, but it’s clear he’s not the only Adams in charge around here. New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has shown that her branch of government is independent of the mayor and has its own agenda. The Adamses have battled repeatedly over the size and contents of the city budget, and the council has overridden multiple mayoral vetoes. But the two have been able to work together, with the speaker finding enough votes to adopt the mayor’s City of Yes housing plan, and the mayor avoiding large spending cuts in his proposed fiscal year 2026 budget.
5. Maria Torres-Springer
When Eric Adams’ mayoralty was at its nadir after his federal indictment last fall and multiple investigations into his inner circle, he promoted then-Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer to first deputy mayor with a mandate to end all the drama. The vibes immediately changed inside City Hall as the veteran technocrat took charge. Torres-Springer, who has retained control of her housing and economic development portfolio, shepherded the administration’s signature policy proposal, City of Yes, into law and rolled out Adams’ preliminary $114 billion preliminary budget too.
6. Carl Heastie & Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins are the state’s top legislative leaders, and they’re not shy about wielding power over New York City’s affairs. In December, they used their seats on the state Public Authorities Control Board to delay the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new capital plan, citing concerns over the plan’s funding mechanism. Heastie, a former Bronx Democratic Party boss, has called for the creation of a statewide housing plan and greater hospital funding, and delivered $6 million to the Bronx to combat the opioid crisis. Stewart-Cousins, who represents Westchester County, has said affordability issues remain at the center of Senate Democrats’ agenda and will be the main theme of the 2025 legislative session.
7. Letitia James
Some Republican state attorneys general are looking to cozy up to President Donald Trump, while some Democratic attorneys general plan to sue Trump over his policies. Then there’s state Attorney General Letitia James, Trump’s leading state legal foe. The only state chief legal officer to win a substantial – $486 million – financial judgment against Trump in a private capacity, James is refusing to back down, and she could have wide-ranging authority over the future of Trump’s business empire, including various Trump properties in New York City. She’s also pushing back on controversial actions like Trump’s federal funding freeze and Elon Musk’s access to Treasury payment systems.
8. Hakeem Jeffries
While he did not seize the speaker’s gavel this year, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is poised to be one of the most powerful minority leaders in congressional history. Leading a largely unified Democratic caucus, Jeffries is facing a small Republican majority that is marked by warring factions and unruliness – although so far the GOP has been deferential to the whims of President Donald Trump, while Democrats have struggled to respond effectively. Jeffries has to keep the Democrats’ factions united with the chance to make deals with House Speaker Mike Johnson on key issues.
9. Chuck Schumer
Following a four-year run as U.S. Senate majority leader, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer returns to Washington, D.C., as minority leader with Republicans dominating the U.S. Capitol. A canny operator with a half century’s experience as a legislator, Schumer will have to tap all of that experience to navigate his caucus through a Senate dominated by Republicans largely eager to partner with President Donald Trump. Besides handling the avalanche of Trump nominees, Schumer must work on immigration, taxes, tariffs, the debt ceiling, government spending and the future of Greenland.
10. Brad Lander
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander believes that 2025 is his year. The citywide elected official is mounting a mayoral run this year, competing in a crowded Democratic Party primary against scandal-plagued Mayor Eric Adams. A longtime progressive leader, Lander has tacked toward the middle on the campaign trail, telling business leaders he is focused on management and good government. As comptroller, Lander pledged to continue investing city pension funds with diverse investment managers and has been outspoken in opposing budget cuts to libraries and public housing.
11. Jumaane Williams
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has spent the latter part of 2024 monitoring the fate of Mayor Eric Adams, whose possible resignation would make Williams the acting mayor. Adams’ federal indictment drew attention to Williams’ legal duty to take the reins of city government in the event of a vacancy, and he has said that he is ready to lead if needed. Williams, an outspoken progressive, has called Adams “the Trump of Brooklyn” following the mayor’s backing of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
12. Alvin Bragg
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg made history last year by becoming the first prosecutor to achieve a criminal conviction against a former U.S. president. Bragg said his prosecution of President Donald Trump was just him “doing his job.” The president has threatened to prosecute Bragg for bringing the hush money case, but Bragg isn’t thinking about being on Trump’s enemy list. He has a full plate, with Luigi Mangione’s state murder trial, a bill tracking mentally ill defendants and his own reelection campaign. Bragg has been endorsed by Manhattan’s three members of Congress and three former borough presidents.
13. Janno Lieber
Janno Lieber is back on track to be the most transformative Metropolitan Transportation Authority leader since Dick Ravitch, and one of the most transformative city transportation leaders since Robert Moses. Lieber had a tumultuous 2024, however, with Gov. Kathy Hochul pausing congestion pricing on the eve of its June debut before ultimately implementing it in January. Lieber now has to use the windfall to make long-awaited infrastructure upgrades to the subway system, work with state lawmakers on the MTA’s new capital plan – and stall potential White House efforts to kill congestion pricing.
14. Jessica Tisch
Jessica Tisch clearly loved being New York City’s innovative Sanitation Department commissioner, but now she’s got her dream job as the city’s top cop. Tisch, a veteran of city government, has quickly made her mark on the NYPD, shuffling out a top spokesperson, reassigning 500 officers, replacing the chief of department and installing her own leadership team. Tisch oversaw the manhunt for alleged UnitedHealthcare assassin Luigi Mangione just weeks after taking office. Tisch’s vision includes the creation of a division focused on quality-of-life issues, improving subway safety and addressing recruitment and retention issues. Her ambitious Albany agenda is focused on taking on recidivism.
15. Camille Joseph Varlack
Camille Joseph Varlack developed extensive experience working in risk management, ethics and state operations in former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration, so it’s no surprise New York City Mayor Eric Adams promoted her to a deputy mayor post after last year’s upheaval. Varlack primarily handled City Hall’s operations and management of migrant shelters and the asylum-seeker population before getting her promotion in January. Now she’ll be tasked with reviewing city personnel and policies along with First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer – and without former Adams chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin in the mix.
16. Ana Almanzar, Meera Joshi, Fabien Levy, Chauncey Parker, Tiffany Raspberry & Anne Williams-Isom
A transportation and infrastructure expert, Meera Joshi has those issues in her portfolio as deputy mayor for operations. Joshi oversees a number of key infrastructure projects, including the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway overhaul, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and a proposed rail line connecting Brooklyn and Queens. Joshi, formerly the federal government’s top trucking regulator, joined the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority last year.
One of the biggest challenges facing city government is the migrant crisis, and Anne Williams-Isom has taken on this project. The deputy mayor for health and human services has set up migrant services and shelters. In the wake of Mayor Eric Adams’ federal indictment, Williams-Isom was designated second in line for emergency mayoral succession after First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer.
As deputy mayor for strategic initiatives, Ana Almanzar is the city government’s point person on a number of issues impacting nonprofit organizations. She has also been driving the expansion of early child care.
A career law enforcement official, Chauncey Parker became the new deputy mayor for public safety in October. He has served as assistant deputy mayor for public safety, deputy police commissioner and state criminal justice services commissioner. Parker’s vision includes increased collaboration with community partners.
In 2023, Fabien Levy got a big promotion from being the mayor’s communications director to being the city’s deputy mayor for communications, a new role. As deputy mayor, Levy serves as the city government’s chief communications officer.
Tiffany Raspberry has been a key part of Adams’ City Hall team as director of intergovernmental affairs steering the mayor’s relationships with the City Council and officials in Albany and Washington, D.C. In January, she got a new title as deputy mayor for intergovernmental affairs.
17. Jocelyn Strauber
Jocelyn Strauber lives in fear of no one, including the man who appointed her. Strauber, the city’s investigation commissioner, was a key player in the investigation that led to the federal corruption indictment of Mayor Eric Adams. Strauber has routinely put Adams’ inner circle under her microscope. Last year, the former federal prosecutor launched concurrent investigations into now-former top Adams aides Tim Pearson and Winnie Greco. In December, she worked with Manhattan prosecutors to bring bribery and money laundering charges against Adams’ chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who has since resigned.
18. Henry Garrido
Henry Garrido easily won a fourth term as head of New York City’s largest private sector union in December thanks to his tireless advocacy for his union’s 150,000 members and 89,000 retirees. Last year, the District Council 37 leader secured cost-of-living wage increases for Head Start workers and won a key court ruling compelling the city to pay health insurance for retirees and their dependents in an ongoing scuffle over the proposed Medicare Advantage plan. At Somos, Garrido criticized Democrats for losing Latino voters in 2024 because they focused on social issues instead of the economy. He was also named co-chair of the New York City Council’s new Charter Revision Commission.
19. Rick Cotton
Rick Cotton has established himself as the closest approximation of a modern-day Robert Moses, as a master builder who has taken on some of the city’s top construction projects and shepherded them to completion. Cotton has presided over massive renovations to the region’s three airports, including seeing LaGuardia Airport crowned the nation’s best airport following an $8 billion transformation of the once-derided airport. Next up on Cotton’s to-do list is a $10 billion replacement of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a project recently greenlit by federal officials that is slated to start this year.
20. Dan Garodnick
Dan Garodnick is the YIMBY leader of New York City government. The City Planning Department chief shepherded Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes housing development and rezoning plan into law, albeit with some notable tweaks. Garodnick and his team conducted 175 meetings with community boards and 10 public town halls, gave hours of testimony before the New York City Council and engaged in grueling legislative negotiations to get the measure across the finish line last year. Garodnick said the package will result in 58,000 to 109,000 new housing units.
21. Melissa Aviles-Ramos
When David Banks announced he would retire as schools chancellor last year after the FBI seized his phone, longtime educator and then-Deputy Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos was selected to lead the city’s schools. Aviles-Ramos assumed the chancellorship after a career that includes serving as a teacher, principal and deputy superintendent. She had helped migrant children assimilate into the school system before her ascension. Aviles-Ramos has rolled out a new math curriculum, expanded the Future Ready initiative and promoted 14 education executives in a departmental restructuring.
22. Yvette Clarke, Adriano Espaillat, Dan Goldman, Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Jerry Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ritchie Torres & Nydia Velázquez
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the powerful Upper Manhattan Democrat, is the new chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and he has outlined an agenda focused on supporting Latinos and protecting immigrants from President Donald Trump. Espaillat also serves on the influential House Appropriations Committee.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has led a congressional delegation to Colombia, called for an inclusive transition in Syria and has introduced legislation on mortgage insurance and to lower flood insurance. He also holds sway locally as leader of the Queens Democratic Party.
Rep. Grace Meng, who’s also from Queens, chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, with plans to focus on the economy and combating anti-Asian bias. Meng, the only Asian American member of New York’s congressional delegation, serves on the House Appropriations Committee.
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, whose district straddles Queens and Brooklyn, is the top Democrat on the House Small Business Committee. The Puerto Rico native, who has been a champion for residents of the island territory, has called for more funding for small-business disaster relief and opposed the White House’s deportation push.
Rep. Ritchie Torres of the Bronx is positioning himself as a potential challenger to Gov. Kathy Hochul, speaking out on state issues and frequently criticizing the governor. Torres has established himself as a vocal supporter of Israel as well.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came up short in a bid to be the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The progressive champion did, however, land a seat on the influential Energy and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, the former chair of the House Judiciary Committee, dropped his bid to be its ranking minority member as House Democrats looked to younger committee leaders. The longtime Upper West Side lawmaker remains a power broker in Manhattan.
Rep. Yvette Clarke is the new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, assuming the post as the caucus reaches its largest membership in history. The Brooklynite also sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Manhattan Rep. Dan Goldman has been effective at garnering media coverage – especially with his old foe, President Donald Trump, back in Washington, D.C. Goldman has championed the revitalization of the Brooklyn waterfront.
23. Nicole Malliotakis
As New York City’s only Republican member of Congress, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is well-positioned to be a key player for at least the next two years with a GOP-controlled Congress and President Donald Trump wielding power at the White House. Malliotakis has been one of the most vocal opponents of congestion pricing, a top issue for outer borough denizens, including on toll-hating Staten Island – and Trump is already looking at ending the program. Malliotakis serves on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, where she’ll be in the thick of discussions over Trump’s tax and tariff proposals.
24. Michael Gianaris & Liz Krueger
With Queens native Donald Trump back in the White House, another Queens politician said state Senate Democrats will need to pivot their agenda to handle Trump. State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris said Democrats must be flexible to withstand Trump’s attacks and touted a Democratic agenda focused on affordability issues, including universal child care and school lunches. Gianaris has already proposed a bill to protect the integrity of elections and celebrated a new law making Middle Eastern and North African people their own demographic category in state data.
State Senate Finance Committee Chair Liz Krueger is a key voice in what will or won’t find its way into the $252 billion state budget. The Upper East Side lawmaker ensured that the Climate Change Superfund Act, requiring polluters to pay for the climate crisis damage they caused, passed before the end of last year. Krueger chastised Gov. Kathy Hochul for halting congestion pricing last summer, which the governor ultimately restarted. She has challenged President Donald Trump’s deportation policies, even suggesting – albeit jokingly – that New York become a Canadian province.
25. George Gresham
The nation’s largest health care workers union has a significant impact on the state’s health care policy. Longtime leader George Gresham teamed up with hospital leaders last year to convince state lawmakers to boost Medicaid reimbursement rates, a key state budget priority for both the union and hospital executives. Gresham also helped enroll unionized home health workers in a health insurance plan and assisted his parent union in affiliating with the AFL-CIO in January – yet he’s now facing a leadership challenge amid internal union divisions.
26. Michael Mulgrew
Michael Mulgrew typically focuses on education issues, but the teachers union leader says transportation is now a top issue for his members. His union teamed with Republican Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella on a lawsuit to halt congestion pricing. The suit focuses on the environmental impact of the program, including on outer borough schools, and the financial impact on teacher recruitment and retention. Mulgrew supported Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to shift retirees into Medicare Advantage health care plans, until retired teachers objected and he withdrew support in June. He’s still facing a leadership challenge this spring.
27. Kathryn Wylde
New York City’s business community has no greater advocate than Kathryn Wylde. Following the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown, Wylde led efforts to improve corporate security, including potential information sharing between state homeland security officials and corporate security staff. Wylde has also been a key supporter of congestion pricing, saying it is needed to improve mass transit. She has praised new First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, saying she knows how to lead “in a time of crisis.”
28. Darcel Clark, Eric Gonzalez, Melinda Katz & Michael McMahon
Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon is taking a larger leadership role advocating for prosecutors in Albany after taking on the position as president of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York in April. McMahon wants level funding to upgrade prosecutors’ offices statewide and championed the creation of a new community justice center. In January, McMahon came out in support of the governor’s proposal to streamline the trial discovery process.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has backed up his reputation as a progressive prosecutor by touting the restorative justice efforts his office has made and has been engaging Brooklyn gang members with anti-violence programs and prioritizing addiction treatment for illicit drug use. That resulted in a record low number of shooting incidents and declines in murders and other serious crimes in the borough last year, according to his office.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark is focusing on reducing violent crime in the Bronx during her third term in office by getting ghost guns off the streets. Clark’s legislative agenda includes calling on state lawmakers to tighten marijuana laws to protect small businesses and she wants the City Council to distribute more funding for housing and mental health services.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has staked out a pragmatic path in her five years as the borough’s top prosecutor by focusing on gang violence, sex trafficking, and drug and domestic violence cases. She touted the takedown of 11 gang members in Southeast Queens, the result of a three-year investigation and has led a campaign against squatters who forged fake leases to take over homes.
29. Frank Carone
After serving as Mayor Eric Adams’ chief of staff, Frank Carone is now a top business consultant and governmental adviser. Carone’s firm has quickly built a powerful stable of lobbyists and an impressive client list in a number of industries. Carone remains close to the mayor, speaking to Adams frequently and even accompanying him to Mar-a-Lago for lunch with President Donald Trump in January. Days after the lunch, there were reports that the U.S. Department of Justice may drop the criminal case against the mayor – which the department has now directed prosecutors to do.
30. Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is back in the minority, but she’s hoping to guide her party back to power. Gillibrand is the new chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, where she’ll guide Senate Democrats campaign strategy for 2026 and have a chance to deepen her relationships with key national donors. Gillibrand picked up a seat on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee in January, giving her a place at the table when federal funds are divided up. She is also the new ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, a minor panel but one with a pulpit to advocate for issues affecting a key voting bloc.
31. Rich Maroko
When Mayor Eric Adams took several sick days in January, he still got some business done, inviting Rich Maroko to Gracie Mansion to secure his support for reelection. Maroko reportedly assured Adams, “If you’re in, we’re with you.” The union has pushed for improved unemployment benefits, stood in solidarity with hotel workers who led a multiday strike after contract talks stalled and got the New York City Council to pass the Safe Hotels Act, which would require hotels licenses.
32. Manny Pastreich
Fresh off securing a new contract agreement for 20,000 office cleaners at the end of 2023, Manny Pastreich delved into Gov. Kathy Hochul’s housing proposal. The 32BJ SEIU leader brought several unions together to advocate for the bill and pressure legislators to keep it in the state budget. Then he zeroed in on advancing Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes zoning plan through the City Council. Pastreich’s insight is so prized that Adams summoned him to Gracie Mansion to discuss cost-of-living issues as the mayor revved up his reelection bid.
33. Jimmy Oddo, Ydanis Rodriguez & Robert Tucker
Once the king of Staten Island, Buildings Department Commissioner Jimmy Oddo has positioned himself as a leading technocrat in a city government being taken over by technocrats. Oddo has been focused on the implementation of Local Law 97, the city’s landmark climate law, and his department will help implement the City of Yes housing package. However, Oddo was reportedly set to be moved to the Sanitation Department, where he’d become a top general in the war on rats.
Transportation Department Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, a reliable ally of the mayor, has said he’s “laser-focused” on his agenda and the city’s transportation needs amid turmoil in City Hall. Rodriguez is implementing a new plan for McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn, claims that bike lanes remain a priority, and that equity and sustainability top his transportation vision. Rodriguez reportedly could be seeking a return to his old City Council seat.
A self-proclaimed “fire buff,” Robert Tucker took over as New York City’s fire commissioner in August. The former head of a private security company, Tucker grew up chasing fire engines around the city and led the FDNY Foundation before becoming commissioner. Tucker’s first crisis was to respond to a rash of wildfires around the city during drought conditions.
34. Michael Dowling
Michael Dowling is being recognized as a leading health influencer far beyond the industry to which he has dedicated his professional career. Northwell Health launched a production studio this summer to make more television shows and films such as Netflix’s “Lenox Hill” docuseries. Dowling hosted a summit on aging in December where he spoke about bioelectronic medicine and touted his new book, “The Aging Revolution,” which he published in June. Dowling is less impressed with artificial intelligence and its potential to perpetuate biases or replace medical treatment conducted by trained professionals.
35. Mitchell Katz
Mitchell Katz joined the city’s public hospital system seven years ago with a mission to focus on primary care instead of hospitalized treatment. Once the COVID-19 pandemic’s onslaught subsided, Katz sought to expand access to low- and no-cost health insurance through NYC Care and found that its patients had higher rates of primary care usage than Medicaid enrollees. City hospitals have still grappled with staffing shortages that prompted doctors to threaten to strike, but Katz hashed out a new contract in January with physicians at 10 public hospitals while continuing negotiations at three other facilities.
36. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez
As the Israel-Hamas war roiled campus discourse, Félix V. Matos Rodríguez has balanced student safety while protecting their right to free assembly across the 25 institutions in the City University of New York system. The CUNY chancellor, who’s approaching six years on the job, has overseen a rebound in enrollment in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, recently marking a second consecutive annual enrollment increase. The higher education system has also transformed the CUNY School of Medicine in Harlem into an independent college, part of its efforts to produce a more diverse pool of medical professionals.
37. Justin Brannan, Gale Brewer, Rita Joseph, Julie Menin, Chi Ossé & Rafael Salamanca Jr.
The powerful chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, Justin Brannan wants to continue to be involved in fiscal issues once he leaves office at the end of the year. The Brooklyn Democrat is running for city comptroller, arguing that his four years as the council’s budget leader make him the most qualified person to be the city’s chief fiscal officer.
There are City Council members and then there is Gale Brewer, the Upper West Side legend who returned to the chamber following two terms as Manhattan borough president. The Council Oversight Committee chair has an action packed agenda, including battling Zaza Waza and other illegal marijuana shops, tracking the impact of 9/11-related air toxins and ensuring adequate Department of Investigation staffing levels. She even photobombed Jennifer Lopez at the Met Gala.
City Council Land Use Committee Chair Rafael Salamanca Jr. is thinking about life beyond City Hall. The influential lawmaker is challenging Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson in the June Democratic primary.
She has already been a Downtown Manhattan civic leader, city commissioner, census czar and Upper East Side lawmaker, but could Julie Menin be looking to add council speaker to her resume? The prolific lawmaker recently negotiated a major deal with the hotel industry to pass her hotel licensing bill and reached an agreement for the expansion of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
A former teacher, Rita Joseph doesn’t send students to the principal’s office anymore – she controls what goes on in the principal’s office. The council’s Education Committee chair is focused on funding schools, improving professional development for principals and teachers in light of curriculum changes and supporting student mental health.
Council Member Chi Ossé had been on the outs with Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and lost his post as Cultural Affairs Committee chair last year. But the Brooklyn lawmaker overcame powerful opposition from the real estate industry to pass legislation to ban broker fees for tenants, which Adams backed. Ossé got the legislation passed in part by building a coalition powered through social media.
38. Al Sharpton
The Rev. Al Sharpton had been one of Mayor Eric Adams’ staunchest defenders since his federal indictment on public corruption charges and even urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to refrain from removing Adams from office. However, Sharpton warned that Adams could lose Black support by cozying up to President Donald Trump and questioned Adams’ motives for the mayor’s last-minute trip to Trump’s inauguration. When the Department of Justice demanded that Adams’ case be dropped, Sharpton criticized the move and said he and other Black leaders would discuss how to respond.
39. James Whelan
James Whelan, the president of the Real Estate Board of New York, is the leading advocate for one of New York City’s most politically powerful industries. Whelan has been vocal in opposing New York City’s new ban on charging broker fees to tenants, filing a lawsuit to block the recently enacted law. Whelan has said REBNY will “pursue all options” to fight the measure, after REBNY previously was successful in suing to stop a similar state law. Whalen was not thrilled with last year’s compromise state housing deal, noting he backed the inclusion of a 421-a extension but opposed the inclusion of “good cause” eviction legislation.
40. Jed Walentas
No developer has done more to revitalize the Brooklyn waterfront than Jed Walentas. Last summer, Walentas’ Two Trees opened One Domino Square, a residential skyscraper with 199 units. Two months later, Walentas unveiled Domino Square, a 33,000-square-foot waterfront plaza representing the penultimate step in the former Domino Sugar site’s 12-year redevelopment. Walentas’s most impressive project may well be the conversion of the 167-year-old sugar refinery into a Vishaan Chakrabarti-designed office complex that combines modern elements with the original industrial design.
41. Timothy Cawley
Con Edison’s Timothy Cawley has played a key role in helping New York transition to being a leader in clean energy. The utility has invested $2.3 billion in infrastructure projects to improve its electric delivery system. Last fall, he helped city officials win a $15 million federal grant to build 600 curbside electric vehicle charging stations and 32 charging ports in city parks. Last year, Cawley broke ground on a new $1.2 billion Con Edison clean energy project to modernize the electric grid in Southeast Queens.
42. Jeff Blau & Bruce Beal Jr.
Jeff Blau and Bruce Beal Jr. ascended at Related Companies after its Chair Stephen Ross announced in July that he would step down. They are betting big that the office market and tourism will roar back in Manhattan. Related has partnered with Wynn Resorts to propose a $12 billion casino bid for Hudson Yards with a 1,700-room hotel and a 5.6-acre park. Even though the local community board is against the zoning change to allow the casino, Blau and Beal are hopeful they’ll prevail in the end.
43. Diana Ayala, Selvena Brooks-Powers & Amanda Farías
New York City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala serves in a key leadership role while also chairing the General Welfare Committee. Ayala has pushed to restore proposed budget cuts for social services, expressed concern over aggressive social media behavior by police officials and has been critical of Mayor Eric Adams’ record on homeless policy. She is term-limited at the end of 2025.
The majority whip and Transportation Committee chair, Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers is demanding answers from the city Department of Transportation. She wants to know why the agency is not implementing the bike lane targets laid out in the 2019 Streets Master Plan and has used hearings to demand accountability. Brooks-Powers is also pushing for increased ferry capacity for her district in the Rockaways.
A year ago, Council Member Amanda Farías made history by becoming the first Latina majority leader of the New York City Council. Farías has been backing the creation of a new Latine Studies curriculum in the public schools, saying it would combat stigma and prejudice. Farías is also chair of the Economic Development Committee.
44. Gary LaBarbera
Last year, when Gov. Kathy Hochul needed a labor leader to help devise a housing package that could satisfy owners and legislators, she turned to Gary LaBarbera. The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York leader ensured that wage standards would be tied to any tax incentive developers receive from the state, and it was part of the compromise housing plan that was included in the state budget. LaBarbera has continued taking on tough fights, supporting housing construction throughout the city, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s latest capital plan and Related Companies’ bid to develop a casino and hotel at Hudson Yards.
45. Suri Kasirer
Suri Kasirer’s lobbying firm continues to lead New York City’s lobbying community in revenue for the seventh year in a row, and there’s no sign she’s slowing down anytime soon. Her client, MGM Resorts, is competing for one of the new downstate casino licenses at its Yonkers complex this year. Another client, Stony Brook University, won a bid to run a $700 million climate campus, the New York Climate Exchange, on Governors Island. This summer, Kasirer helped the nonprofit Citymeals on Wheels raise enough money for 20,000 meals for seniors in need.
46. Jon Silvan
Over the past 30 years, Jon Silvan has built up Global Strategy Group into one of the one of the most renowned public affairs firms in the country. His firm has some of the biggest clients in town, including Google, National Grid, Goldman Sachs and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Global Strategy Group helped the Metropolitan Transportation Authority promote the use of OMNY, its contactless fare payment system, and is advising MGM Resorts as it pursues a full casino license at Empire City Casino. Silvan also serves on the PR Council’s executive committee.
47. Harry Giannoulis
Harry Giannoulis has been gearing up for another eventful election cycle in New York City. The Parkside Group founder helped a slate of state Senate Democrats win reelection last fall and keep their substantial majority in the chamber. Parkside is currently working on Justin Sanchez’s campaign for a New York City Council seat in the Bronx. With the 2025 races for city offices picking up, Giannoulis and his colleagues at The Parkside Group will be key players in these elections.
48. Emily Giske, Mike Keogh & Juanita Scarlett
Bolton-St. Johns had a particularly fruitful year in 2023, with revenue of $10.6 million, which made them the No. 2 compensated lobbying firm in the city. Thanks to partners Emily Giske, Mike Keogh and Juanita Scarlett, the firm has cultivated long-standing relationships with a mix of clients, including Pfizer, Solar One, Quest Diagnostics, RiseBoro, StoryCorps and The Fortune Society. Bolton-St. Johns continues to grow, elevating six partners a year ago, and has been recognized as a place that fosters women leaders in government relations.
Editor’s note: Juanita Scarlett is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
49. Neal Kwatra
Neal Kwatra has long been a go-to operative for candidates and causes mounting challenging campaigns in New York. From raising the minimum wage to pushing for affordable housing to architecting the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council’s political operation, Kwatra has left his mark on the political landscape. He is currently working to protect congestion pricing from opponents and is likely to play a key role in this year’s New York City elections. Kwatra has also been advising both Resorts World Queens and Bally’s efforts in the Bronx on their respective bids for a downstate casino.
50. Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo has been a New York political fixture since starting as a top adviser to his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, in the 1970s, and he’s not going quietly into the night. The former governor, who resigned in 2021 following the release of a report by the state attorney general’s office over sexual harassment allegations, which he denies, towers over the Democratic mayoral field in primary polls, even though he has not yet jumped into the race. Cuomo has been looming around the edges of the campaign, speaking at churches and synagogues.
51. Michael Blake, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, Whitney Tilson & Jim Walden
After finishing in a disappointing fifth place in the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary, Scott Stringer is looking for his comeback. The former city comptroller had raised $425,000 by July and was the first to receive matching funds from the New York City Campaign Finance Board. Stringer, in his fifth citywide race, is plowing ahead by releasing a number of policy proposals.
Jessica Ramos, a state senator, former de Blasio aide and an ally of organized labor, made headlines last spring for opposing Steve Cohen’s bid to convert the Citi Field parking lot into a casino and entertainment complex. As a mayoral candidate, Ramos has been meeting with business leaders and criticizing Mayor Eric Adams over proposed cuts to child care centers in his budget. She has raised about $107,000 since October.
Zellnor Myrie, who holds Adams’ old seat in the state Senate, officially entered the race in December and released a housing proposal to build 700,000 housing units and preserve another 300,000 homes over the next decade. Myrie was recently endorsed by Rep. Dan Goldman.
Zohran Mamdani, a Queens Assembly member, has quickly boosted his name recognition through a creative social media campaign. Mamdani, the endorsed Democratic Socialists of America candidate, unveiled a plan to triple the production of permanently affordable homes, and has attracted attention from the New York Post for his socialist-friendly views and pro-Palestinian stance.
Jim Walden has been exploring various avenues in his mayoral bid, starting out with an independent campaign for City Hall and then mulling a Republican bid before opting against seeking the GOP line. The accomplished Manhattan attorney is pitching himself as a moderate general election alternative to the mainly progressive Democratic field.
Former hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson may not have the name recognition as many of the other Democrats, but he has deep-pocketed donors. Tilson campaign has received donations from Bill Ackman, the pro-Israel hedge fund executive, and former Trump White House official Anthony Scaramucci.
Former Assembly Member Michael Blake has been looking for a way back into elected office. Now a mayoral candidate, he recently explored seeking to lead the Democratic National Committee. The former Obama administration staffer is also the CEO of Atlas Strategy Group.
52. Murad Awawdeh
Murad Awawdeh already had the daunting task of fighting for the rights of immigrants while ensuring that New York’s migrants have access to legal and education resources from the state’s $1 billion budget allocation. Now with President Donald Trump back in the White House, the immigration advocate is dealing with the threat of mass deportations, increased attention from federal officials on undocumented immigrants and more. Awawdeh has demanded the state not cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as they seek to raid churches and schools.
53. Errol Louis
No one in the press corps gives the city’s body politic as thorough a physical as Errol Louis. The affable NY1 host has shown an impressive ability to shift seamlessly from substantive policy discussions about birthright citizenship bans with immigration activists to incisive interviews with mayoral candidates. But it’s Louis’ prescient columns in New York magazine that explain Mayor Eric Adams to the rest of us. He also has the stature to chastise The New York Times for abandoning endorsements in local races.
54. Maury Litwack
Maury Litwack is a top operative in New York politics, and the founder of Teach Coalition is showing the impact of mobilizing Jewish voters. Litwack’s voter turnout efforts helped George Latimer defeat former Rep. Jamaal Bowman last year in the most expensive congressional primary in American history. With New York City and New Jersey headed to the polls this year, Litwack established a new organization called the Jewish Voters Action Network. JVAN launched a $7 million campaign to get Jewish voters to re-register as Democrats and mobilize Jewish voters to the polls in the New York City mayoral race and 12 City Council districts.
55. Twyla Carter
When Twyla Carter joined The Legal Aid Society in 2022, becoming its first Black woman and Asian American leader in its 149-year history, she sought to bolster the reputation of free legal representation. Carter has since advocated for rights of people incarcerated at Rikers Island by supporting a City Council bill barring corrections officers from listening in on phone calls and has provided legal resources to help undocumented immigrants. Legal Aid’s recent accomplishments have included obtaining Social Security benefits for a child in foster care and advocating for legislation to automatically seal conviction records.
56. Keith Wright
Twice in five years, Keith Wright fended off challenges to his leadership of the Manhattan Democratic Party. After dispatching his rivals and attempting to remove two district leaders, Wright helped his party’s slate hold office in an anti-incumbent year while getting his son Jordan through a competitive Assembly primary. Wright joined Davidoff Hutcher & Citron after a long tenure representing his Harlem neighborhood in the Assembly, where he chaired the Housing Committee. He still works out of the DHC office but recently founded his own LLC, Wright Strategies.
57. Anthony Constantinople & Perry Vallone
Anthony Constantinople and Perry Vallone have built their boutique consulting firm into one of the preeminent land use and real estate outfits in the city. In 2023, they reported $6.3 million in compensation, putting them among the city’s five highest-earning lobbying firms. Last year, Constantinople and Vallone contributed to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s housing package, which could put 71,000 homes in the pipeline, and have worked on zoning, environmental and energy-related issues for dozens of clients in the past year.
58. Vito Fossella, Vanessa Gibson, Mark Levine, Antonio Reynoso & Donovan Richards
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine is looking to step up into the city comptroller’s office after one term in his current post. The former New York City Council member has been appointing pro-housing community board members and was a major backer of Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes rezoning plan to create more housing.
As the process to award new casino licenses in New York City heats up this year, add Queens Borough President Donovan Richards to the list of people backing Mets owner Steve Cohen’s casino bid next to Citi Field. Touting the economic impact for his borough, Richards also asserts that the future of the city is in the outer boroughs, not in Manhattan. He has also been calling on city agencies to put more focus on quality-of-life issues.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella has emerged as one of the city’s leading opponents of congestion pricing, a hot-button issue in the famously toll-hating borough. Fossella teamed up with United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew in a lawsuit seeking to block the plan.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso is focused on various issues in his burgeoning borough. Reynoso has called for an increased focus on maternal health and on efforts to reduce hate crimes. He has issued a comprehensive plan for Brooklyn, targeting various issues, including housing, health equity, library funding and education.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson endorsed the final City of Yes package, saying it will help address housing issues for her constituents. She used her capital budget allocation to invest $15.5 million for digital initiatives in Bronx schools and has focused on addressing the opioid crisis. Gibson faces a competitive Democratic primary challenge from New York City Council Land Use Committee Chair Rafael Salamanca Jr. this year.
59. Vito Pitta
A top campaign finance attorney, Vito Pitta knows how to navigate New York City’s and the state’s labyrinth of campaign finance laws for his clients. This year has been one of his toughest challenges yet. As Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign lawyer, Pitta had to sift through paperwork in response to a federal inquiry into foreign donations and sought to get Adams matching funds from the city. Outside of campaign finance work, Pitta has represented 9/11 victims in receiving necessary health benefits and lobbies for clients, including the Detectives’ Endowment Association.
60. James Capalino
James Capalino has positioned himself as a top New York City lobbyist, with his firm having a wide reach across and within the city’s bureaucracy. Capalino brought in $6.3 million in compensation in 2023, which put them fifth among government relations firms in the city. They have a wide range of clients, including Bush Terminal Park, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and the Times Square Alliance. Capalino also played an extensive role getting Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes land use overhaul passed and offered a webinar on the proposal with its top land use lobbyists.
61. Edward Wallace
Thanks to Edward Wallace’s efforts, Greenberg Traurig is a leader in the field of government affairs-focused law firms. His firm continues to retain and attract top talent, including former New Jersey U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger, who joined in January. Greenberg Traurig has helped implement virtual legal counsel meetings and represented clients like the New York Racing Association and the East Harlem Tutorial Program. They also worked with DocGo, which provided temporary housing and services for asylum-seekers, before the city declined to renew the contract.
62. Michael Woloz
Michael Woloz is one of New York City’s go-to lobbyists. Woloz, a leading advocate for the arts, leads government relations efforts for the 34-member Cultural Institutions Group, working to defeat catastrophic cuts proposed in the city budget last year. Woloz’s work not only restored the cuts but boosted funding for the cultural sector and established arts and culture as key elements of city budget negotiations. He also represented Arrow Linen in one of the city’s most heated zoning battles to redevelop a Windsor Terrace site into two 13-story towers with 240 apartments.
63. Mike Morey & Kerri Lyon
Mike Morey and Kerri Lyon continue to make SKDK a formidable presence at City Hall and in Albany thanks to its deep bench of communications and political strategists. Morey, a former state communications director for U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has worked to remove Confederate monuments in New Orleans, manage communications for Hurricane Katrina commemorations and advocated for child sex abuse reforms. Lyon, a one-time Emmy Award-winning television reporter, has lobbied on behalf of Tech:NYC, the nonprofit representing tech companies in the city, and remained active on several nonprofit boards. Lyon is also a former communications director for the New York City Department of Education.
64. Luis Miranda Jr. & Roberto Ramirez
Last summer, Luis Miranda Jr. released his political memoir chronicling his rise in city politics and his work on successful campaigns for Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand and Adriano Espaillat. Now, Miranda and Roberto Ramirez, a former state lawmaker and Bronx Democratic Party leader, are in the middle of the debate Democrats are having about how to win back Latino voters who fled the party in the 2024 election. Miranda and Ramirez have also consulted on Steve Cohen’s bid for a casino and entertainment redevelopment next to Citi Field.
65. Paul S. Ryan & Frederick P. Schaffer
The New York City Campaign Finance Board has been criticized for reviewing campaign accounts too slowly, but Paul S. Ryan and Frederick P. Schaffer showed the value of meticulous attention to detail. The board decided to deny Mayor Eric Adams vital campaign matching funds for his reelection bid due to evidence that his 2021 campaign accepted allegedly illegal contributions as outlined in an indictment and he did not provide documents that were requested. In a crowded and competitive primary, this decision could prove to be a game changer for the mayor’s reelection hopes.
66. Stuart Appelbaum
Stuart Appelbaum was a key player behind the passage of the Retail Worker Safety Act last year, bringing retail workers to Albany to explain their working conditions to state lawmakers. The legislation, a response to the rise in retail thefts, includes violence prevention training for workers. Appelbaum’s impact does not stop there – the retail and wholesale worker union leader has advocated for safer working conditions at warehouses in New York and helped get “good cause” eviction included in the state budget.
67. John Samuelsen
John Samuelsen wasn’t pleased when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority released details about its congestion pricing plan without increasing express bus service – so he quit the panel writing the congestion pricing plan in November 2023 and threatened a “massive confrontation” if the originally proposed $15 fee came to pass. Transport Workers Union members were impressed by his work in New York and elected him their international president in September. He has since sought to improve relations with President Donald Trump by backing Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Labor Secretary-designate Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
68. Jamaal Bailey & Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
While the Bronx Democrats remain one of the most powerful of New York City’s borough party operations, state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, the county party’s leader, came up short in one primary last year. Bailey backed former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a Bronxite, in his unsuccessful reelection campaign against now-Rep. George Latimer, then the Westchester County executive. Yet Bailey retains solid control of his party apparatus and is a power player in Albany, where he was recently appointed chair of the state Senate Insurance Committee after being chair of the Senate Codes Committee. Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Brooklyn Democratic Party leader, is one of the state’s leading champions of investing in minority- and women-owned businesses. She is touting the support MWBEs have enjoyed and the economic growth spurred by the sector. Bichotte Hermelyn has also become one of the state’s top champions of improving Black maternal health.
69. Evan Thies
Four years ago, Evan Thies helped engineer Eric Adams’ stunning mayoral victory by having his candidate stay focused on public safety. The political consultant has gone on to support the administration’s priorities in the city and in Albany. Along with business partner Alexis Grenell, Thies has focused on growing Pythia Public Affairs into a top issue advocacy group through projects like The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island and the New York City Football Club stadium at Willets Point. He also represented the Hotel Association of New York City in its fight over a hotel licensing bill last year.
70. Nathan Smith
Nathan Smith may be one of the least publicly known members of Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle, but he is widely credited for helping the mayor develop his winning campaign strategy in 2021. Since then, the Red Horse Strategies founding partner has worked as part of the team that successfully lobbied the City Council to approve the $780 million soccer stadium at Willets Point, Queens, and officials broke ground in December ahead of its expected 2027 opening. Adams will likely lean on Smith and his brain trust as the 2025 mayoral primary unfolds.
71. Chris Coffey
When Bradley Tusk handed the reins of his eponymous consulting firm to Chris Coffey in 2021, he picked one of the most respected political minds in the business. Coffey, who co-managed Andrew Yang’s come-from-nowhere mayoral campaign, remains a go-to resource for City Hall media who appreciate his ahead-of-the-curve insights into electoral politics. In the 2024 election, Coffey ran an independent expenditure in the Delaware gubernatorial election, advised Future Forward (the largest super PAC backing former Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign) and helped launch New Yorkers for Local Businesses, which is promoting economic issues.
72. Vincent Alvarez
Vincent Alvarez has been growing the strength of organized labor since taking the helm of the New York City Central Labor Council in 2011. Alvarez has supported Democrats in various elections, mobilizing union members to vote for former Vice President Kamala Harris last year and marching with Mayor Eric Adams at the Labor Day Parade last year. He supports Related Companies and Wynn Resorts’ bid to open a Hudson Yards casino. Once President Donald Trump won the election, Alvarez vowed to stand up to the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant workers and unionized federal employees.
73. Jacques Jiha
Jacques Jiha has had more latitude than perhaps any city budget director to determine which policies get prioritized and which face the chopping block. Last year, Jiha prepared a $109 billion preliminary budget with cuts to libraries, cultural institutions and early childhood education before the City Council restored some of them in a $112.4 billion deal. Mayor Eric Adams’ new $114.5 billion spending plan in January – of which Jiha was the main architect – includes funding for rental assistance, free swim lessons and a new $650 million plan for more treatment and housing for homeless people.
74. Anthony Marx, Dennis Walcott & Linda Johnson
When Mayor Eric Adams proposed cutting city funds for public libraries from $36.2 million to $12.6 million in last year’s budget proposal, the heads of New York’s three public library systems warned that they would be forced to reduce weekend service and lay off staff. Library leaders negotiated with City Hall until reaching a deal to restore their funding, allowing them to reopen seven days a week.
This year, Adams’ budget didn’t make any spending cuts to libraries, a break from the annual ritual of proposed cuts followed by lawmakers rallying around the library leaders. New York Public Library President and CEO Anthony Marx knows the three-borough system, anchored by the iconic Fifth Avenue library, can’t depend on the city alone. His Library Lions annual gala, which has honored Spike Lee, Amy Tan and Suzan-Lori Parks, is an annual staple of the city’s society scene and brought in $3 million this year. Marx also reopened the library’s 125th Street and Fort Washington branches over the past few months after $176 million in renovations.
Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott opened a new library branch in Far Rockaway in early August and celebrated the reopening of a Broadway Avenue branch in Astoria the following week after a $4.6 million revamp. Walcott, a former New York City schools chancellor and deputy mayor, broke ground with Adams and other elected officials on a $7.4 million renovation of the Hollis branch in Southeast Queens in October.
Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson has been leading the extensive rehabilitation of the Central Branch in Grand Army Plaza, which should be finished by 2027 and cost $150 million. In the meantime, Johnson secured $50,000 to support adult literacy programs and launched a new program allowing Brooklyn jurors to get access to e-books and audiobooks in court.
75. David Greenfield
David Greenfield has been focused on growing access to food for New York’s neediest. Last year, the Met Council distributed $25 million in food to many New Yorkers. Greenfield led the council in raising over $20 million to build a new warehouse. He has launched a new nationally recognized digital food pantry, advocated for Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes zoning initiative and is a member of the city’s inaugural Jewish Advisory Council. A former member of the City Council, Greenfield has also worked with city lawmakers and nonprofit leaders to develop a food needs strategy.
76. Marc Holliday
After opening One Vanderbilt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Marc Holliday continued to bet big on Midtown’s resurgence by putting together a bid with Caesars Entertainment and Roc Nation for a new casino in Times Square. The SL Green Chair and CEO has gotten support for the proposal from Times Square landlords and sought buy-in from the Broadway community with new street trees and better sanitation, though theater owners remain opposed. Holliday himself could earn a $10 million bonus if the state awards him a license, but he already received a 3 1/2-year contract extension with the firm.
77. Steven Rubenstein
Since becoming chair of the Association for a Better New York in 2018, Steven Rubenstein helped the foundation become the place where city stakeholders debut change-making policies. In April, Mayor Eric Adams revealed renderings for a Vornado Realty Trust skyscraper at 350 Park Ave., and First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer unveiled a plan in October to redevelop a 66,000-square-foot Meatpacking District site into a cultural destination with mixed-income housing. A key civic leader and president of his eponymous communications firm, Rubenstein was also instrumental in promoting congestion pricing, arguing the “city’s future depends on it.”
78. Katie Schwab & Rose Christ
Katie Schwab and Rose Christ are the next generation of leaders at the venerated litigation and government affairs firm that produced legal giants including Bernard Nash and the late Stephen Cozen. They have taken leading roles shaping the state’s mental health policy by representing VNS Health, Alternatives to Incarceration/Reentry Coalition and Horticulture Service. They are focused on helping the city’s hospitality industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by working with trade organizations and supporting a bid from Hudson’s Bay Company to place a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue.
79. Sid Davidoff
Veteran New York City mayoral adviser Sid Davidoff has helped expand the reach of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, bringing in new talent while lobbying for unions and other influential clients. The midsize law firm, which handles commercial litigation, transactions, lobbying and public affairs, has offices in New York City, Albany and White Plains as well as Washington, D.C., and Florida. As a member of Nixon’s enemies list, Davidoff has been warning that those on President Donald Trump’s list will be in far more danger in 2025.
80. Ethan Geto & Michele de Milly
Over the course of more than four decades, Ethan Geto and Michele de Milly have grown their government affairs firm into one of the most effective messaging and campaign outfits in New York. Geto & de Milly has amassed an impressive client list that includes various corporations, hospitals, trade associations, nonprofit organizations and real estate firms. In 2023, the film lobbied on behalf of the International Cricket Council to bring the Cricket World Cup to Long Island. This year, it is representing several developers on affordable housing projects in the rezoned part of the Gowanus eligible for state tax benefits.
81. Jenny Sedlis & Jason Ortiz
Jenny Sedlis and Jason Ortiz formed Moonshot Strategies in 2021 to offer nearly 40 years of government affairs services for clients looking for a way into City Hall. Sedlis has led charter school advocacy efforts and ran a $7 million super PAC for Eric Adams’ first mayoral campaign. Ortiz’s client list has included Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, 32BJ SEIU, Vera Institute of Justice, Uber and Red Bull. Both have worked on Steve Cohen’s bid for a casino next to Citi Field while also assisting Bally’s bid for a casino resort in the Bronx.
82. Camille Joseph-Goldman
As head of Charter Communications’ government affairs in the Northeast, Camille Joseph-Goldman has ensured that people have access to affordable internet services throughout the region. Joseph-Goldman, a former adviser to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, has been working with state officials on issues related to the state’s growth of universal broadband access. She serves on the boards of the National Action Network, Citymeals on Wheels and All in Together.
83. Vijay Dandapani
The migrant crisis has been a windfall for hotels, but Vijay Dandapani has sought to ensure stability for his industry that has struggled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hotel industry advocate recently renewed a $1.04 billion emergency city contract after the city has already spent $2.3 billion to house asylum-seekers. He warned that the City Council’s Safe Hotels Act would drive up prices but withdrew his objections after a series of negotiations. Now Dandapani is focused on combating city legislation that would ease restrictions on Airbnb.
84. Ana María Archila & Jasmine Gripper
When Ana María Archila and Jasmine Gripper joined the New York Working Families Party in 2023, they had the goal of serving as a progressive counterweight to Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul as well as flipping the House to Democratic control. The party had mixed success outside New York City – with Mondaire Jones’ loss in particular – and Archila criticized the Democratic Party for not backing the state Equal Rights Amendment strongly enough. Now Gripper and Archila are encouraging opposition to President Donald Trump and mobilizing voters to not rank Adams in the Democratic mayoral primary.
85. Eric Goldstein & Hindy Poupko
For Eric Goldstein and Hindy Poupko, the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel represented an existential threat to Jewish life across the globe. Since then, Goldstein’s UJA-Federation of New York raised $200 million to support 275 Israeli organizations treating hundreds of thousands of people while Poupko worked with families of hostages to get them released. The nonprofit also sought to combat antisemitism and poverty at home, opening a social services hub with the Met Council in Borough Park, Brooklyn, and calling for mask bans during public demonstrations.
86. Juan Merchan
Juan Merchan may not have set out to be the most famous state trial court judge in the country, but that’s what happens when you preside over the first criminal conviction of a president. The Manhattan judge found himself presiding over President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, which found Trump guilty on 34 counts last year. Then came Trump’s sentencing. Merchan had absorbed Trump’s attacks for months but ruled he could not use presidential immunity to overturn his conviction. Merchan gave Trump an order of unconditional discharge, assuring Trump would become the first convicted felon in the Oval Office.
87. Randy Peers
Randy Peers has his finger on the pulse of New York’s economy. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce leader’s prescient surveys of business owners have drawn attention to festering issues like layoffs, theft and inflation before they become citywide crises. Peers has also warned that city laws restricting short-term rentals like Airbnb have hurt Brooklyn’s economy. But Peers has also sought to promote the borough’s businesses and nonprofits by celebrating its second Brooklyn Made storefront, hosting a trade exposition at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and honoring the WNBA champions New York Liberty at the chamber’s annual gala.
88. Kenny Burgos
Kenny Burgos became one of the state’s youngest lawmakers when he was elected to a Bronx Assembly seat in 2020. He didn’t stay in Albany long, resigning less than four years later to take a position in September as the inaugural CEO of the New York Apartment Association, formed by the merger of the Community Housing Improvement Program and Rent Stabilization Association. In his new role, Burgos has been focused on reducing the cost of utilities property insurance for small landlords and getting the state to pass a Housing Access Voucher Program.
89. Talya Schwartz
Dr. Talya Schwartz joined MetroPlusHealth in 2019 with a mission to bring affordable health care to New York’s most vulnerable residents. Membership in the NYC Health + Hospitals subsidiary has risen 35% in her tenure to more than 670,000 people as Schwartz has concentrated on preventative medicine and field-based care. This year, Schwartz celebrated the opening of a new Bronx community office and announced a new partnership as the official health insurance group for the New York City Football Club.
90. Nestor Ramos
While some readers think The New York Times exists to cover the entire world, Nestor Ramos makes sure that world includes groundbreaking coverage of its home base of New York City. Ramos joined the Times in 2020 from The Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his climate change reporting. As the Times’ metro editor since 2022, he has put a human face on the city’s migrant crisis and managed coverage of the investigations into Mayor Eric Adams and his inner circle.
91. Gregory Morris
When Gregory Morris joined the New York City Employment and Training Coalition in 2022, the city was still struggling to recover jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. His mission has been to work with hundreds of providers and train thousands of underserved New Yorkers for well-paying jobs. Morris spoke at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s employment conference in October and the Employment and Training Coalition hosted a successful two-day conference in December focused on convening stakeholders to develop the workforce development agenda for 2025.
92. Mark Treyger
When Mark Treyger joined the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York a year ago after serving as a top city education official, New York’s Jewish community was dealing with the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. But Treyger gained experience managing crises from his time representing Brooklyn on the City Council – and he found himself, in his new role, dealing with a rise of antisemitism in the city. Treyger has called for a mask ban after antisemetic hate crimes jumped last year and has decried vandalism at the homes of museum and college administrators.
93. Brian Lehrer
Brian Lehrer’s radio program is helping the nation navigate the chaotic constitutional storm that has marked the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term. Each morning, Lehrer hosts clear-eyed, thoughtful discussions about politics and policy, such as the consequences of shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development, mass deportations and crime trends. His show allows New Yorkers to question their elected officials and interrogate mayoral candidates.
94. Jeremy John
Jeremy John joined the New York City Council when Council Speaker Adrienne Adams brought him on board three years ago. John’s experience coordinating District Council 37’s legislative agenda and a stint with the state Senate gave him the tools he needed to succeed in the role. He has since helped Adams maintain professional relations with Mayor Eric Adams through the City Council’s battles with the mayor over the budget and overrode his vetoes on the How Many Stops Act, banning solitary confinement and expanding rental vouchers.
95. Barika Williams
For more than a decade, Barika Williams has sought to fulfill the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development’s mission of building thousands of units of affordable housing. The organization was instrumental in encouraging the City Council to pass the Mayor Eric Adams’ ambitious City of Yes zoning plan. This year, Williams also celebrated the group’s 50th anniversary and she has been a member of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Advisory Committee on Racial Equity.
96. Carla Smith
A year ago, Carla Smith became the first person of color to lead The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center after eight years with the Urban Resource Institute, the nation’s largest domestic violence services provider. The Massachusetts native, who has over 25 years of experience in social services, promised to continue the group’s mission: ensuring racial equity, and providing health care and substance use treatment. She has since sought to expand shelter access for survivors of abusive relationships by backing the Safe Shelter Act, which Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed.
97. Todd Shapiro
Is there anyone who doesn’t like Todd Shapiro? The gregarious publicist had so many people to thank at his 60th birthday party that he held several different festivities – in New York City, Albany, Palm Beach and Long Island – over a single week in January. His most recent accomplishment may well be opening the War Room Tavern in Albany, where it has become the beacon that brings together lawmakers, lobbyists and operatives of all stripes to socialize, become friends and possibly strike deals after stressful days in the state Capitol.
98. Christina Greer, Katie Honan & Harry Siegel
Christina Greer, Katie Honan, and Harry Siegel may be better known for their work in their respective fields, but with its insight into city politics, their podcast with The City, “FAQ NYC,” has been successful in its own right.
Christina Greer has been teaching political science courses at Fordham University for more than 15 years and has emerged as New York’s leading political expert in the academic world. She’s made regular appearances on “The Brian Lehrer Show,” writes a column with The New York Amsterdam News and hosts “The Blackest Questions” podcast on TheGrio.
Mayor Eric Adams claims that he made Katie Honan’s career and that she must be the “happiest person going.” Not quite – she’s a veteran of New York City journalism at this point in her career. But Honan has had plenty of scoops about Adams’ reliance on straw donors, FBI raids of his allies and the mass exodus of top aides following a slew of overlapping corruption probes into his office. Her tweets confronting the mayor at events that may or may not be listed on his schedule are a true public service.
Harry Siegel writes his Daily News columns with the perspicacity and righteous anger that he shares with some of the greats in the paper’s history. Siegel is the driving force behind The City’s high-minded editorial direction and the lively discussions on “FAQ NYC.” He also has gotten under the skin of the NYPD’s more outspoken online posters.
99. Alex Matthiessen
In 2010, Alex Matthiessen launched a campaign to address the region’s transit woes, including to push for congestion pricing. Matthiessen lobbied state lawmakers for nearly a decade before they passed a tolling program in 2019. After multiple fits and starts, including Gov. Kathy Hochul’s last-minute pause of the program in June, Matthiessen and other advocates could celebrate when Hochul gave tolls the green light in November and when it went into effect on Jan. 5. With President Donald Trump threatening to halt the plan, Matthiessen argues that reducing traffic and air pollution is worth the price.
100. Sara Lind
Sara Lind didn’t win a New York City Council primary in 2021, but her work making city streets safer will leave a lasting legacy. Lind joined Open Plans and became co-executive director in April 2023, where she has advocated for more protected bike lanes, daylighting at intersections and more speed cameras. Last year, Lind helped pressure Gov. Kathy Hochul to unpause congestion pricing by holding multiple demonstrations in midtown Manhattan.
Corrections: An earlier version of this post had incorrect details in Carla Smith's entry. She had previously been at the Urban Resource Institute for eight years, not a decade. Also, the governor did not sign the Safe Shelter Act, she vetoed it.
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