Power Lists
The 2025 Queens Power 100
The VIPs of “The World’s Borough.”
City & State presents the 2025 Queens Power 100. Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
President Donald Trump was once a boy from Queens, and he has spent his life focused on moving up: first to Manhattan’s East Side and then to two stints in the White House. At the same time, another boy from Queens – former Gov. Andrew Cuomo – is looking to make his own comeback by moving into Gracie Mansion. But it’s not just the boys from “The World’s Borough” who are looking to control New York. New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is the most powerful local resident in city government and is now making her own play for the mayoralty. Queens also paved the way for Kamala Harris to become the first female vice president, with Forest Hills resident Geraldine Ferraro making a trailblazing run as the first female vice presidential nominee four decades before Harris’ run for the presidency. And another powerful Queens politician, progressive icon Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, could realistically mount a run for mayor, governor or even president one day. City & State’s latest Queens Power 100 – written and researched by City & State in partnership with journalist Sean Okula – features the current Queens leaders who keep the borough on the move.
1. Adrienne Adams
In less than four years, Adrienne Adams has risen from a little-known New York City Council member from Queens to one of the most powerful council speakers in history. With Mayor Eric Adams’ federal indictment and close relationship with President Donald Trump sending his administration into a tailspin, the speaker has emerged as the proverbial “adult in the room” – toiling to avoid a complete collapse of city government. Amid an unsettled mayoral primary, a “Recruit Adrienne Adams” movement gained traction. State Attorney General Letitia James and others called on the moderate Democrat to become a late entrant to the crowded mayoral primary, and she has answered in the affirmative – holding her mayoral kickoff event recently at Rochdale Village Shopping Center.
2. Michael Gianaris
While congressional Republicans are seeking to make voter registration more difficult, state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris is focused on making it easier for New Yorkers. As part of a larger legislative package focused on preserving election safety, his bill would provide automatic voter registration to people applying for certain motor vehicle documents. Gianaris called New York City Mayor Eric Adams “a surrogate” for President Donald Trump following the mayor’s new close relationship and support for Trump policies and called for Adams’ resignation. He obtained $6 million for Mount Sinai Queens for a new intensive care unit in 2024.
3. Greg Meeks
Whether it’s Queens, Washington, D.C., or the Middle East, Rep. Greg Meeks is a powerhouse. Meeks continues to serve as the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he has not been shy about voicing his displeasure with President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. In February, he called Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to take control of the Gaza Strip and create a Monaco rival “preposterous” and “inhumane.” The influential Queens County Democratic Party leader has also been playing a key role in determining New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ fate as an important adviser to Gov. Kathy Hochul on the possibility of removing the Black elected official from City Hall.
4. Donovan Richards
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards has kept the borough moving forward even with turmoil at the top of city government. Late last year, he joined Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce a $1 million investment in cleaning up Roosevelt Avenue. In December, he recommended to approve Mets owner Steve Cohen’s casino proposal, albeit with conditions. As the longest-serving borough president, Richards would have a seat on any city Inability Committee convened to consider ousting Mayor Eric Adams. He has also been mentioned as a potential lieutenant governor running mate for Gov. Kathy Hochul.
5. Rick Cotton
Rick Cotton’s Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is spending billions of dollars to overhaul airport terminals at LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, with award-winning results. And even with an overhaul of federal climate policy, Cotton says the Port Authority will continue to move toward the state’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050. Cotton is also overseeing a process to chart the next 40 years of development at Newark Liberty International Airport, including new terminals situated along the airport’s monorail system. The next major construction project on Cotton’s plate is a new bus terminal in midtown Manhattan.
6. Melinda Katz
If the past few months are any example, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz never slows down. In November, she and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a criminal complaint against an operation that allegedly stole over $2 million worth of retail goods throughout the borough and shipped to the Dominican Republic. In December, Katz and the New York City Police Department announced the indictment of 11 alleged violent gang members in Southeast Queens. She has been a leader in combating squatting in homes, and she is proactive in working to provide new youth activities to reduce crime.
7. Jessica Ramos, Zohran Mamdani & Jenifer Rajkumar
A trio of state legislators from Queens want to move up to citywide office this year. State Sen. Jessica Ramos and Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani are both seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor, while Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar is challenging Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary.
Both Ramos and Mamdani have called on Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Mayor Eric Adams from office, with Ramos saying, “Adams now works for Donald Trump, not New Yorkers.”
Ramos, the state Senate Labor Committee chair, supports the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act, a Housing Access Voucher Program that would provide affordable housing for immigrants arriving to the city and expanding the Vision Zero safe streets program. Back in Queens, Ramos has become a foil in Mets owner Steve Cohen’s plans for a Citi Field-adjacent casino, refusing to introduce Senate legislation to allow the ballpark’s parking lot – currently state parkland – to be reclassified to allow the casino proposal to advance.
Mamdani, endorsed by the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, has proposed enacting a rent freeze on rent-stabilized housing, building more affordable rent-stabilized housing, fast-tracking fully affordable housing projects and ending parking lot requirements. He also wants to increase the city minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030 and create a network of city-owned grocery stores.
Rajkumar, a close ally of Adams known for her signature red dress, was the first South Asian woman to be elected to state office and she would be the first South Asian person to be elected citywide. She wants to crack down on illegal smoke shops, require licensing and registration for e-bikes, and create stronger pathways to housing for homeless people. She also sponsored state legislation that makes Diwali a school holiday in New York City. Rajkumar recently switched from the city comptroller’s race to the public advocate contest.
8. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Representing one of the most diverse districts in the country, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been focusing on keeping her constituents informed of their rights in the event of federal immigration enforcement. In Washington, D.C., Ocasio-Cortez’s bid to be the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform was blocked by her longtime foe, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But Ocasio-Cortez picked up a seat on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. The former bartender now sees her name in the mix for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
9. Grace Meng
As a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Grace Meng has pushed against President Donald Trump’s cuts to federal programs. In February, she and 154 House Democrats sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concern over the scope of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. She also successfully convinced U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse funding and personnel cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program. Meng also chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
10. Joseph Addabbo Jr., Leroy Comrie, Kristen Gonzalez, John Liu, James Sanders Jr. & Toby Ann Stavisky
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. chairs the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee and is in the thick of the competition for downstate casino licenses, as the state approaches decisions on awarding up to three. In addition to looking for ways to speed up that process, he was a key advocate for mobile sports betting in New York. Addabbo recently announced a new initiative to ban sweepstakes casinos statewide.
State Senate New York City Education Committee Chair John Liu, a former New York City comptroller and council member, has been at the center of the city’s education policy along with other issues. Liu authored legislation to reduce class sizes across the city’s public schools and worked to increase state aid. He called for New York City Mayor Eric Adams to resign from office or for Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove the mayor.
State Senate Banks Committee Chair James Sanders Jr., a key author of the state’s reparations commission legislation, continues to be a prolific lawmaker. Sanders authored new laws to make it illegal for stores to cover drug labels with price stickers or other tags and to prohibit car leasing companies from charging “turn-in fees” upon the return of the vehicle.
Senate Higher Education Committee Chair Toby Ann Stavisky has made higher education the hallmark of her Senate career. Stavisky’s work on new SUNY and CUNY affordability legislation include requiring the Higher Education Services Corp. to more quickly decide if students will receive financial aid after receiving their applications and expanding Tuition Assistance Program benefits to graduate students.
Senate Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee Chair Leroy Comrie has authority over 150 public state authorities, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He is also a member of the Public Authorities Control Board, a little known but powerful state entity. Comrie recently signed on to a letter calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul not to remove Adams. Comrie also wants the MTA to improve Queens bus service.
State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, the youngest woman to be elected to the chamber, is the chair of both the Elections Committee and Internet and Technology Committee. Gonzalez has been focused on designing the state’s approach to artificial intelligence and other technology focused-policy, adding the elections portfolio this year.
11. Tom Suozzi
Tom Suozzi is back, back in the Washington, D.C., groove. Suozzi returned to Congress last year after a 13-month sabbatical, succeeding expelled Republican Rep. George Santos after a closely watched special election. In November, the Democrat narrowly edged Republican challenger Michael LiPetri Jr. in the swing district to capture a full term. He has an eye toward working with Republicans, but is also pushing back against violations of privacy by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Suozzi regained a seat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee this year, where his focus is on increasing the state and local tax dedication cap as part of any tax package.
12. Dennis Walcott
The Queens Public Library was among the beneficiaries of a restoration of $58.3 million in funding to libraries during city budget negotiations over the summer, allowing branches to resume full service. Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott, a former New York City schools chancellor and deputy mayor, has joined his fellow city library leaders in annual budget discussions. Walcott has overseen milestones on a number of projects, including the groundbreaking on a $7.4 million renovation of the Hollis branch and the reopening of the branch on Broadway Avenue in Astoria.
13. Robert DeSalvio
The push to get live gambling tables at Resorts World New York City could come to a head this year, with the state Gaming Facility Location Board set to hand out up to three full downstate casino licenses. Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, believes an upgrade to a full casino is needed to keep Resorts World’s economic engine moving for Queens. Resorts World, as an existing racino, is considered a front-runner for one of the licenses.
14. Thomas Grech
Thomas Grech is coming up on 10 years at the Queens Chamber of Commerce and is having no problems keeping up with the times. Last year, the chamber launched the Queens Innovation Foundation, a nonprofit aimed to set the borough up to become a breeding ground for artificial intelligence-fueled startups. He has been a vocal supporter of the proposed Metropolitan Park, which is Steve Cohen’s casino and entertainment complex adjacent to Citi Field.
15. Patrick B. Jenkins
A close ally of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Patrick B. Jenkins is a powerhouse lobbyist who knows how to navigate the Albany maze and get things done. He has spent the past 16 years running his own consulting and lobbying firm, Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates. Among his clients are the New York City Football Club and Genting New York, which is vying for one of the downstate casino licenses at Resorts World New York City in South Ozone Park. Jenkins has held leadership roles in campaigns for New York City mayor and governor, and spent several years as Rep. Greg Meeks’ district director.
16. Ed Braunstein, Catalina Cruz, Andrew Hevesi, Alicia Hyndman, Ron Kim, Stacey Pheffer Amato, Nily Rozic, Clyde Vanel & David Weprin
Assembly Member Ed Braunstein is the new chair of the Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee, giving him a seat at the negotiating table over funding the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new five-year capital plan, which was recently blocked by legislative leaders.
Assembly Member Catalina Cruz has introduced the Access to Representation Act, which would establish the right to counsel for immigrants facing deportation. Cruz, the Assembly Committee on Committees chair, is part of the group of lawmakers who crafted the “7-Point Plan” to revitalize Jackson Heights’ Roosevelt Avenue.
Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee Chair Nily Rozic is sponsoring legislation that would require the state Health Department to publish an annual report listing hospitals’ policy-based exclusions and the impact of denying care. Rozic recently secured $480,000 to create a STEM lab at a Fresh Meadows school, opposed Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes housing plan and wants to crack down on parking lot drag racing.
Assembly Member Ron Kim has moved from Aging Committee chair to be the Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee chair. His vision includes highlighting outer borough tourism, investing in state parks and focusing on sports development, including potentially restarting the Empire State Games.
Insurance Committee Chair David Weprin is the Assembly’s third Weprin, following his father and brother. Weprin has been vocally opposed to congestion pricing and was "thrilled” when President Donald Trump withdrew federal approval of the toll program.
Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi chairs the Children and Families Committee. He has passed legislation prohibiting the arrest and prosecution of children under 12, increasing wages for child care workers and expanding child care subsidies.
Governmental Employees Committee Chair Stacey Pheffer Amato passed 48 bills into law in the 2023-2024 session – more than any other city Assembly member.
Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman snagged her first committee gavel this year as the Higher Education Committee chair, giving her a voice in annual negotiations over higher education finance. Her agenda includes expanding nursing education initiatives and regulating trade schools.
Assembly Member Clyde Vanel, the state Legislature’s resident futurist, is the new Banks Committee chair and continues to lead the Internet and New Technology Subcommittee. He proposed a Robotics, Automation and Artificial Intelligence Commission.
17. Tyquana Henderson-Rivers
Founded in 2008, Connective Strategies is a government relations and lobbying firm led by Tyquana Henderson-Rivers. She has played roles in the elections of Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Greg Meeks, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, among others. Among the firm’s corporate clients are FedEx and NYC Health + Hospitals. The group helped Assembly Member Larinda Hooks win the seat vacated by former Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Jeffrion Aubry, who retired.
18. Brad Sims, Marty Edelman & Jennifer O’Sullivan
With the New York City Council’s approval in April 2024, Phase II of the Willets Point redevelopment is a go. The next step in the evolution of the 3.3-million-square-foot space will include the city’s first soccer stadium for the New York City Football Club, which will be privately financed and built by union labor. The new facility will cement Queens as a sports hub for the city. Team CEO Brad Sims comes from a background as a sports executive, while Vice Chair Marty Edelman and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer O’Sullivan come from legal backgrounds.
19. Frank Monterisi, Jeff Wilpon & Richard Browne
Related Companies and the former owners of the Mets, Sterling Equities, have teamed up to form the Queens Development Group, which is tasked with overseeing the redevelopment of the Willets Point neighborhood near Citi Field. For Related, Frank Monterisi is leading the effort, which is the largest all affordable housing development in the city, along with the neighboring new soccer stadium planned for the New York City Football Club. An affiliate of the entity that formerly owned the Mets, Sterling Equities, Sterling Project Development Group is also part of the team behind the future of Willets Point. The company has a plan for the ongoing development at Willets Point, including a new soccer stadium, 2,500 units of affordable housing and a hotel. The last 1,400 of the 2,500 units of affordable housing proposed for the area were approved last year. Jeff Wilpon was chief operating officer of the Mets before the family sold the team to Steve Cohen. Richard Browne has a background in commercial building and served as a representative for the company responsible for the development of Citi Field.
20. David O’Rourke
With Belmont Park undergoing a $455 million makeover, the third leg of the Triple Crown will return to Saratoga in 2025. The Elmont facility is starting to look like a racetrack again, with four courses in place and a new chute for 1 1/4 mile races constructed. The New York Racing Association and its president and CEO, David O’Rourke, manage operations at Belmont and the Aqueduct Racetrack at Resorts World New York City in South Ozone Park. Belmont is on schedule to reopen in fall 2026.
21. Elizabeth Crowley
Elizabeth Crowley took the helm of the Building Trades Employers’ Association in 2023, continuing a public service career that included an eight-year run as a member of the New York City Council. At BTEA, one of Crowley’s priorities addressing mental health and suicide prevention in the construction industry, including calling on city, state and federal officials to adopt new guidelines on the subject. Another key priority has been increasing minority- and women-owned business participation in the construction industry.
22. Selvena Brooks-Powers, Jim Gennaro, Linda Lee, Francisco Moya, Lynn Schulman & Sandra Ung
New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers serves as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair. She has passed legislation to establish regular reporting on John F. Kennedy International Airport redevelopment plans, a key priority in her Southeast Queens district, and to study the structural load-bearing capacity of parking garages, a key citywide issue following a 2023 partial parking garage collapse in lower Manhattan. Brooks-Powers recently introduced legislation to increase accessibility for the city’s deaf community.
City Council Standards and Ethics Committee Chair Sandra Ung has passed legislation that increases fines for businesses that continually violate littering laws, provided $24 million to complete the Eastern Queens Greenway and worked to improve interpretation access for 311 calls.
Council Member Francisco Moya may chair the COVID and Infectious Diseases Subcommittee, but his real job is City Council soccer czar. Moya has been a leading advocate of a Willets Point soccer stadium for years, seeing his vision become reality in 2024 with approval of the new stadium, along with new affordable housing, parks and an elementary school.
Council Member Linda Lee is the chair of the on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction Committee, through which she led the creation of the Council’s Mental Health Roadmap. Lee has been focused on implementing the innovative roadmap, including introducing legislation to address mental health in city schools.
City Council Environmental Protection, Resiliency and Waterfronts Committee Chair Jim Gennaro has made the environment his issue for over 20 years. Gennaro’s legislative agenda includes successful legislation requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to update its sewer backup prevention plan and new plans to address the rise of flooding outside traditional flood zones. Gennaro, a former state Department of Environmental Conservation deputy commissioner, wants to upgrade the city’s stormwater infrastructure.
City Council Health Committee Chair Lynn Schulman is hyperfocused on keeping New Yorkers healthy. Her legislative agenda includes her HealthyNYC initiative and her expansion of in vitro fertilization coverage to gay male city employees, a model she wants to see the private sector adopt. Schulman has authored a diabetes reduction plan and legislation to develop a five-year city population health agenda.
23. Frank H. Wu
Frank Wu has led Queens College as president since July 2020. Like many colleges, the CUNY institution has been the subject of protest regarding the Israel-Hamas war. In July, pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted filming on the set of “FBI: Most Wanted” of what was supposed to be a mock protest on the Queens College campus. In the wake of President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies, Wu has emerged as a thought leader on the importance of students who are immigrants. He also opened a new and larger location for the college’s food pantry and free business attire program.
24. Joanna Geraghty
Joanna Geraghty took over as CEO of JetBlue Airways in February 2024. A longtime JetBlue executive, Geraghty is focused on charting the airline’s future after a planned merger with Spirit Airlines fell through last year. This includes seeking new partnerships with other airlines, a focus on the airline’s “core strategy” and the debut of the airline’s first customer lounges in New York and Boston, which she said would offer “a bespoke” lounge experience for flyers. All of Geraghty’s vision is focused on restoring the airline to profitability.
25. Steve Cohen & Michael Sullivan
After swiping Juan Soto from the Yankees, Mets owner Steve Cohen has his eye on the $8 billion Metropolitan Park proposal, which would transform the Citi Field parking lot into a sports and entertainment park, including a casino, retail outlets and 25 acres of green space. Cohen and Michael Sullivan, the longtime chief of staff at Cohen’s Point72 Asset Management, need to navigate the state Legislature to pass land use legislation that is very difficult to get introduced without the help of local state Sen. Jessica Ramos – who has said she will not introduce such legislation. Cohen will be taking another shot at successfully navigating Albany this year.
26. Peter Tu
Flushing Chinese Business Association Executive Director Peter Tu has the community looking to brighter days ahead. While the area was hit hard by the pandemic, Tu says the area is back as a thriving place for business. He has said a key is for prospective business owners to be willing to adapt to the neighborhood. Tu is also the founder of the Kissena Democratic Club. He maintains an active social media presence, commenting on city, state, national and international business and economic issues.
27. Brian J. Shanley
When the Rev. Brian J. Shanley took over as president of St. John’s University at the height of the pandemic in February 2021, he found basketball and sports dominating his agenda at the college basketball powerhouse. The school hired Rick Pitino to be its basketball coach. With new name, image and likeness policies for college athletes, St. John’s is reportedly receiving a seven-figure NIL funding lifeline from billionaire alum Mike Repole. Shanley hopes to break ground on a new on-campus basketball facility – allowing for more student recreation space – as soon as this spring.
28. Tiffany Cabán, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Shekar Krishnan, Nantasha Williams & Julie Won
Queens has become a central part of the growth of the progressive movement in New York City and the borough’s City Council members who are part of the Progressive Caucus are making their mark on the city.
Contracts Committee Chair Julie Won wants to create the Long Island City of the future. Won led efforts with the City Planning Department to create the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan to shape land use in Long Island City. The plan calls for the creation of 14,000 new residential units, including at least 4,000 affordable units, plus 3 million square feet of new commercial space and new parks. Won negotiated additional affordable housing for the Innovation QNS project, which allowed the new development to receive City Council approval in late 2022.
Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Jennifer Gutiérrez, who chairs the council Technology Committee, wants to end the city’s digital divide by spearheading the revived push for the Internet Master Plan to bring high-speed internet access to New Yorkers. She is one of several members to call for Mayor Eric Adams to resign as a result of his federal corruption charges.
LGBTQIA+ Caucus Chair Tiffany Cabán is a leader in LGBTQ+ rights, having produced the 11-point policy platform Pride in Policy alongside other members to protect queer and transgender New Yorkers during a time of federal hostility toward the community. Last year, Caban lost her Women and Gender Equities Committee gavel after a falling out with Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.
Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan previously called Mayor Eric Adams “unfit to govern.” Krishnan has teamed with state lawmakers to introduce a seven-point plan to address crime and the revitalization of Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, along with a plan to address human trafficking and prostitution. He has launched a pilot program to offer free swim lessons to second graders.
Council Member Nantasha Williams, the chair of the Civil and Human Rights Committee, has spent her time in office updating the salary transparency legislation and introducing a package of Juneteenth bills and a bill to mandate annual Equal Employment Opportunity reporting in the Fire Department.
29. Jennifer Aument
Jennifer Aument took over as CEO of the New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport in April 2024. The $9 billion first phase, which will include the new arrivals and departures hall and the first 14 gates, is scheduled to be completed in 2026. In the past year, Aument has led the New Terminal One in the creation of the new microgrid sustainable energy project, which will include New York City’s largest solar array, concluded the largest issuance of municipal bonds for an airport project totaling $2.55 billion and established partnerships with 13 international airlines.
30. Clint Plummer
Since taking over as CEO at Rise Light & Power in February 2020, Clint Plummer has become an enthusiastic spokesperson for the state’s clean energy transformation and oversees one of the most buzzed-about projects, the transition of Ravenswood Generating Station from a fossil fuel-powered facility to a clean energy hub. With President Donald Trump’s energy policy focused on oil and gas and with new restrictions on offshore wind development, Plummer says the Ravenswood project will continue as planned, noting it has always been a long-term project scheduled to conclude in the early 2030s.
31. Michael Woloz
Michael Woloz is not just a top New York City lobbyist, he is a key champion for the arts. The president and CEO of CMW Strategies, Woloz leads government relations for the 34-member Cultural Institutions Group, where he fended off potentially catastrophic cuts to the cultural sector in last year’s budget and won a funding increase. Woloz has worked to make sure arts and culture funding remain key parts of city budget policy. Woloz led CMW Strategies in securing more than $148 million in the city budget for its nonprofit clients in 2024.
32. Khaleel Anderson & Jessica González-Rojas
Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson doesn’t represent the Queens County Farm Museum, but he’s in the thick of state farming policy. The chair of the Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy Task Force, he is working to establish a comprehensive statewide food policy, focusing on food insecurity and sustainable food networks. Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas is the new chair of the Task Force on Women’s Issues, saying Albany needs to fight even harder for “universal access to basic needs,” including for women, with President Donald Trump in the White House. She introduced the Overdose Prevention and Recovery Act that would make the Opioid Stewardship Fund permanent and direct 20% of its funds toward recovery services. She has also been a leading proponent of free school lunches in New York, which Gov. Kathy Hochul included in her budget proposal this year.
33. Suzette Noble
A veteran of Disney Resorts, Suzette Noble wants a trip to Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport to feel part of a travel experience rather than a hassle. She joined LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the company composed of Vantage Group and Meridiam responsible for redeveloping and operating Terminal B, as chief operating officer in 2021 before being promoted to CEO in October 2023. Noble has made enhancing the relationship between the terminal and the Queens community a top priority. She launched an internship program with York College in 2024 aimed at providing students a firsthand opportunity to learn about terminal management and the aviation industry.
34. Vivian Cook
Assembly Member Vivian Cook holds a high-ranking leadership role in the Democratic conference as the assistant speaker. The octogenarian is also one of the most senior lawmakers in Albany, having served in the Assembly since 1991. Her current legislative agenda includes measures that would provide great-grandparents visitation rights for great-grandchildren with deceased parents and to require health insurance companies to provide documents to clients within 30 days of a request. She also sits on the Codes Committee, the Rules Committee and the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, among others.
35. Laura Rothrock
Laura Rothrock has been leading economic growth in Long Island City since 2022. In the past year, Rothrock has seen the size of the Long Island City Partnership’s territory expand from 73 blocks to 156 blocks. Rothrock worked with New York City Council Member Julie Won and city planning officials on the development of the new Long Island City Neighborhood Plan. She said new city trash collection rules place an undo burden on business improvement districts and that the Department of Sanitation should handle the task. Rothrock declared Long Island City is a “child care desert” and needs new child care options.
36. Cameron R. Hernandez
State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris announced $6 million in funding for a new intensive care unit at Mount Sinai Queens in October 2024. The funding will allow hospital leader Cameron R. Hernandez to expand the facility’s ICU bed capacity from eight to 21. Hernandez previously served as chief medical officer from September 2018 to December 2020 and later led the hospital through surges of COVID-19 while still expanding care. He was in an off-Broadway production of “Lifeline,” a play about the discovery of penicillin, in September 2024.
37. Helen Arteaga Landaverde & Neil J. Moore
The largest municipal health care system in the country trusts its Queens operation to Helen Arteaga Landaverde and Neil J. Moore. The two took over during the pandemic in February 2021, with Landaverde running things at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst and Moore in charge at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens in Jamaica. In 2024, Elmhurst established a program aimed at treating patients with cancers in advanced stages affecting the liver and gastrointestinal system. The Jamaica location was, for the first time, recognized with the Lantern Award for innovation by the Emergency Nurses Association.
38. Steve Thody
Set to finish its first stage in 2026 and costing $4.2 billion, the redevelopment of the land that contained Terminals 6 and 7 at JFK Airport into a new state-of-the-art Terminal 6 is a key component of the $19 billion transformation of the airport. Steve Thody has been leading the project since last year. Thody has touted new amenities, including connectivity to two AirTrain stations, a calm terminal focused on experiences, new lounges and art. He announced that Air Canada, Norse Atlantic Airways and Kuwait Airways will be based out of the new Terminal 6.
39. Roel Huinink
JFK’s Terminal 4 is the only privately operated airport terminal in the country. Roel Huinink leads the terminal as president and CEO at JFK International Air Terminal. Huinink has increased terminal capacity by 25%, installed new technology to upgrade the passenger experience and introduced new environmental initiatives. Huinink wants to better connect the airport to Queens, including partnerships with local artists to showcase their work in the terminal. JFKIAT made a $5,000 donation to the Gateway JFK BID in March 2024, the funds are earmarked for new lighting in the commercial corridor outside the airport.
40. Bruce Flanz
Bruce Flanz and his team at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center celebrated the opening of a new cancer center in April 2024. Created out of a partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Flanz was overjoyed with the opening of the facility, but also expressed his desire to ultimately build an entire cancer wing. In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced up to $188 million in state investment to support the comprehensive cancer care center’s creation. This year, the 408-bed hospital broke ground on a $155 million expansion of the emergency department, which will double in size.
41. Mark Weprin
Mark Weprin took his experience in Albany and City Hall to the clean energy industry in December 2022, when he took over as vice president of government affairs for Invenergy. In this role, he leads the company’s engagement with government officials and other stakeholders statewide. Invenergy has nine projects in development in New York, including the Clean Path NY transmission line. A member of one of Queens’ leading political families, Weprin is a former state legislator, City Council member and senior gubernatorial adviser.
42. Joann Ariola, Robert Holden & Vickie Paladino
Three of the seven members of the New York City Council’s Common Sense Caucus call Queens home.
Fire and Emergency Management Committee Chair Joann Ariola won’t take no for an answer. She became the new Republican minority leader this year, after successfully contesting the validity of an initial vote on procedural grounds. Her work focuses on quality-of-life concerns, one of the driving factors behind legislation that created the Office of Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering in the New York City Parks and Recreation Department.
Republican Council Member Vickie Paladino is a Queens original. Outspoken, blunt and brash, Paladino has found a successful formula that has turned the northeastern Queens lawmaker into a viral sensation. Paladino has been a top opponent of congestion pricing and adding bike lanes, and worked to complete the long-awaited renovation of Bowne Park. Paladino is the new minority whip.
Term-limited conservative Democrat Robert Holden is co-chair of the Common Sense Caucus and the Veterans Committee chair. He is a prolific lawmaker, having introduced 92 bills in the 2024-2025 session. He has also joined his fellow City Council Democrats in calling for Mayor Eric Adams’ resignation.
43. John D’Angelo
Northwell Health expanded its service in Queens with the opening of a $5.1 million, 8,500-square-foot multispecialty practice in Glendale in February 2024. John D’Angelo oversees the health network’s Central Market as its executive vice president and market president – a scope that includes Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Long Island Jewish Forest Hills and Zucker Hillside Hospital – while also serving as the first person named Northwell’s chief of integrated operations, a capacity in which he is tasked with integrating lessons learned from Northwell’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic into the health network’s operational structure.
44. Lorraine Chambers Lewis
The veteran leader of Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, Lorraine Chambers Lewis, grew the hospital’s community reach this past year. She launched the hospital’s first community advisory board in 2024, with an eye toward bringing leaders in to demonstrate the hospital’s progress. She has launched the hospital’s Little Guyana initiative in Queens, which leverages the hospital’s expertise to better serve the local community. She also led accreditation efforts in hip fracture, spine and robotic surgery.
45. Shamik Banerjee & Adam Ryan
Following the retirement of Stephanie Baldwin at the start of this year, Shamik Banerjee is now leading Delta Airlines’ operations at its hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Banerjee worked his way up from strategic analyst to managing director before assuming the top spot at the busy JFK location. The airline offers the most flights and seats of any carrier at Kennedy Airport, with more than 200 peak-day departures. Adam Ryan leads Delta’s operation at LaGuardia Airport, combining that with leading the airlines’ work at Logan International Airport in Boston. Ryan also oversees 13 Northeast stations for Delta, including in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. Ryan started as a ramp agent with a Delta-acquired airline in Cincinnati, Ohio, and worked his way up through the airline. He was most recently a Delta executive in Salt Lake City, where he oversaw a terminal redevelopment, which added 50 gates for the airline in Utah’s capital city.
46. Christine Mangino
Since taking over as president in August 2020, Christine Mangino has led Queensborough Community College in developing its first five-year strategic plan, opening the Queensborough Performing Arts Center for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and establishing programs aimed at promoting equity throughout the school community. On campus she has created a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center, a Men’s Resource Center, a PRIDE Center and an equity dashboard to allow college stakeholders to track equity initiatives.
47. Kenneth Adams
Kenneth Adams’ career before being president of LaGuardia Community College was in economic development and, at times, it’s almost like he never left. Last year, he accepted a $116 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation for a new workforce development center at LaGuardia. The gift comes as the Mets owner seeks to build up his Queens community credentials while he looks to open a casino. In the fall, Adams announced a new $1.5 million fund for noncitizens to apply for financial assistance and opened a new on-campus urban farm and research center.
48. Sam Berger, Larinda Hooks, Steven Raga & Claire Valdez
This group of younger lawmakers is showing that seniority and securing committee chairs aren’t necessary to pursue an ambitious agenda in Albany.
Assembly Member Steven Raga is focused on Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, joining with other lawmakers to combat a rise in sex trafficking, unlicensed vending, illegal vehicles and uncleanliness – without an increased police presence. However, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams have increased the visibility of police on the avenue.
Elected in a 2023 special election, Assembly Member Sam Berger recently introduced legislation to seal unfounded, exonerated and unsubstantiated complaints against police officers. He wants to codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism into state law.
First-term Assembly Member Larinda Hooks is picking up where her predecessor, Jeffrion Aubry, left off. She wants to pass state legislation related to the state parkland designation of the Citi Field parking lot that would allow Mets owner Steve Cohen to build a casino there – though state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who would need to do the same, is not a fan.
Assembly Member Claire Valdez ousted Juan Ardila last year and has joined her fellow democratic socialists in calling for Mayor Eric Adams’ resignation. She has introduced legislation to require landlords to provide housing accommodations to residents displaced by fires.
49. Dermot Smyth
After declaring his candidacy for the New York City Council seat currently held by Bob Holden, Dermot Smyth quickly picked up steam in his quest to represent the purple district, encompassing Maspeth, Middle Village and parts of Glendale, Ridgewood, Elmhurst and Rego Park. Now in his 16th year as the Queens political action coordinator for the United Federation of Teachers, Smith has received contributions from a who’s who of city Democratic power players. A recent fundraiser was co-hosted by UFT President Michael Mulgrew, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.
50. Peter Vallone Sr.
Peter Vallone Sr., the first speaker of the New York City Council, founded the firm of Constantinople & Vallone Consulting after leaving government, where he guides clients through the labyrinth of city government and on how to best position themselves for success. A fixture in New York politics, he was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1998 and a mayoral candidate in 2001. Among his accomplishments is having worked with former Mayor Ed Koch in 1988 to pass legislation enacting the city’s public matching funds program.
51. Brian Simon & Julissa Ferreras-Copeland
Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, formerly a member of the New York City Council, and Brian Simon, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Greg Meeks, teamed up at Hollis Public Affairs in 2021. The firm is focused on expanding resources for nonprofits and meeting with elected officials on topics like artificial intelligence, consumer privacy and stewardship of data. Among its clients are Queens Future LLC, the joint venture looking to build a casino and park that includes Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International and Success Academy Charter Schools.
52. John Park
John Park has been the executive director of the MinKwon Center for Community Action, an immigrant rights organization, since May 2018. MinKwon offers free social and legal services in Korean and Chinese related to immigration status, housing status, health insurance and public benefits. The community action center is part of a collaborative with other community groups in the area called Undo Poverty Flushing.
53. Michael Braun
Starting as an associate, Michael Braun has quickly ascended up the corporate ladder at Kasirer, the city’s top lobbying firm for eight years running. He has served as chief strategy officer since February 2023, and he leads business development efforts in that capacity. Braun is a former student trustee at SUNY, where he developed relationships across the state. Among those relationships is with now-Kasirer client, Special Olympics New York. He has worked to develop new partnerships between the Special Olympics and the New York City public schools.
54. Seth Bornstein
After 15 years at the helm of the Queens Economic Development Corp., Seth Bornstein is set to pass the torch to marketing veteran Ben Guttmann in July. Bornstein joined shortly after the organization’s inception in 1977 and took over as executive director in 2009. Among Bortstein’s accomplishments is the creation of Entrepreneur Space, which is a commercial kitchen business incubator and the creation of Made in Queens, which assists local artisans with marketing. Borntstein also led the expansion of the Queens Tourism Council.
55. Justin Rodgers
Since taking over as president and CEO of the Greater Jamaica Development Corp. in June 2022, Justin Rodgers has continued the organization’s aim to improve the quality of life for residents and workers of Jamaica. He oversaw the opening of the Greater Nexus coworking space, which is operated by the Greater Jamaica Development Corp., in July 2022. The organization offers small-business loans through the federal government. Rodgers has led the corporation in supporting nonprofits in the neighborhood.
56. Anne Marie Anzalone & John Albert
Bolton-St. Johns is one of the top lobbying firms in New York City and state. Anne Marie Anzalone served as chief of staff to then-Rep. Joe Crowley before joining the firm in 2019, and John Albert has been a lobbyist for the firm since 2015 and was promoted to partner in 2021. Bolton-St. Johns received $17.5 million for its services in 2023, ranking second among professional lobbyists in the state. Anzalone has served as a Democratic delegate in each presidential election dating back to 2004.
57. Costa Constantinides
The CEO at Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens and a former New York City Council member, Costa Constantinides has spent years working to shape the future of the borough. The youth development center serves more than 4,000 young people each year at its 30,000-square-foot facility in Astoria. Constantinides has voiced his support for the development of Metropolitan Park, Mets owner Steve Cohen’s vision for the future of Citi Field’s parking lot, which would also include Cohen’s proposed casino. Constantinides has cited the environmental benefits of the proposal.
58. Daniel Zausner
Drawing record crowds at the U.S. Open this past August, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center COO Daniel Zausner has New York City abuzz with tennis fever. The nearly 25-year veteran of the organization is responsible for all operations at the tennis center. He credits the uptick in turnout for the premier tennis event to fewer people wasting their tickets to the event. The tennis center has been working on ways to enhance audience enjoyment, including cashless payment for food and drink, prepping food ahead of time to reduce waits and providing new entertainment options.
59. Kevin Alexander
The Rockaway Development and Revitalization Corp. is focused on commercial revitalization in downtown Far Rockaway and workforce development for the entire peninsula. Kevin Alexander has led the organization as president and CEO since July 2011. Its Spectrum Learning Lab, a computer lab established in response to a lack of internet access after Superstorm Sandy, received a $25,000 contribution from Spectrum in July, money slated for upgraded equipment and enrichment programs.
60. Daniel Rosenthal
After stepping down from the Assembly, representing everything from College Point down to Kew Gardens Hills, Daniel Rosenthal took over as vice president for government relations at the UJA-Federation of New York, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Jewish people, in August 2023. The organization continued its philanthropic efforts in 2024, with the opening of a $12.5 million social services hub in Brooklyn – similar to one opened in Elmhurst in 2020 – and has provided $146 million to meet acute emergency needs in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
61. Ebony Young
Building on her extensive background as a nonprofit leader, Ebony Young is now the deputy borough president of “The World’s Borough.” The western Queens resident has been the point person on Borough President Donovan Richards’ technology initiatives, announcing a new diversity-focused tech hub in Long Island City last year and hosting the annual Breaking Barriers to Entry Tech & Career Fair in the winter. Young was the executive director of the Long Island City YMCA from 2011 through 2018.
62. Mitchell Taylor
Urban Upbound aims to tackle poverty in public housing and low-income neighborhoods through education needed to achieve economic prosperity and self-sufficiency. Founded as the East River Development Alliance in 2004, the group’s origins can be traced to Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, where Bishop Mitchell Taylor grew up. Taylor was joined by New York City Mayor Eric Adams last year to open the second Urban Upbound Federal Credit Union. Last year, Taylor also opened Urban Weeds, a cannabis dispensary in Astoria, that will generate revenue for Urban Upbound.
63. Sally Tallant
After 10-year and eight-year stints at the Serpentine Gallery in London and the Liverpool Biennial, respectively, Sally Tallant took the reins of the Queens Museum in February 2019. The cultural institution is currently looking back at the 1964-65 World’s Fair – on the very grounds where the fair was held – and is welcoming its spring exhibitions this month. Tallant’s work across the pond received royal recognition, receiving an honor from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2018.
64. Tracey Appelbaum & Jamison Divoll
The 62-acre Innovation QNS project has been one of the most hotly debated developments in western Queens in years. The project was approved by the New York City Council in 2022 after it winded its way through a tough land use review and won support from local New York City Council Member Julie Won to increase affordable housing. BedRock Real Estate Partners, Silverstein Properties and Kaufman Astoria Studios are partnering on the project, which will include mixed-income housing, commercial and retail space, as well as dedicated space for nonprofit offices, creative endeavors and startup businesses. It will also include a park. Tracey Appelbaum from BedRock and Jamison Divoll from Silverstein Properties are working on the project and serve as ambassadors to the surrounding community.
65. Claudia Schrader
In her first year as interim president of York College in Jamaica, Claudia Schrader oversaw the reopening of the college’s $8.1 million campus track, the only NCAA-grade track in Southeast Queens. The college is looking to reopen the campus cafeteria this year after a five-year hiatus. Schrader has established the York Opportunity Network to expand the college pipeline and she accepted a $7.5 million donation, the largest in York College’s history. She took the helm in Southeast Queens after a stint as president of Kingsborough Community College.
66. Ben Thomases
Queens Community House is one of Queens’ largest nonprofits, with 40 sites boroughwide. Ben Thomases has led the organization since February 2015, and he’s not content to rest on his laurels. He recently completed a $16 million renovation on the Forest Hills Community Center. Thomases was co-chair of Queens Power, which advocated for the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center campus to be used for affordable housing, which the state has included in a new master plan for the facility. As a leader of the #JustPay movement, Thomases helped to obtain three years of cost-of-living raises for human services workers.
67. Donald Morrish
Donald Morrish was promoted from chief medical officer and senior vice president of medical affairs to CEO of Episcopal Health Services effective March 2024. Episcopal Health Services has eight locations across the Rockaways and Five Towns, including St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway. As chief medical officer, Morrish led teams focused on quality, patient safety and satisfaction, and implemented, integrated and onboarded a new hospitalist, emergency medicine and anesthesia service. Since his taking over as CEO, the health system has launched a nurse residency program and hired Vanessa Nazario as chief social impact officer.
68. Edwin Christian
Edwin Christian is the business manager and financial secretary at International Union of Operating Engineers Local 14-14B, previously serving as president from 2004 to 2013. He also serves as a trustee for the union’s funds and an executive board member for the New York City Central Labor Council. IUOE Local 14-14B has agreements with major associations across the construction industry and serves its members with an annuity plan, pension benefits, a training program and access to health care. Christian is also a member of the city’s Workforce Development Board.
69. Jukay Hsu
After serving as an infantry captain for the U.S. Army in Iraq, Jukay Hsu founded the nonprofit now known as Pursuit, which is helping connect underserved communities with well-paying tech jobs. Pursuit partnered with state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Nily Rozic on the Good Jobs Guarantee Act in May, which would provide the framework to invest $1 billion in private funding for workforce development in communities in need of quality jobs and economic mobility.
70. Scott Crowley
Formerly deputy director of the New York City Council’s finance division, Scott Crowley took his government and budget expertise to Fontas Advisors in March 2020, where he specializes in legislative advocacy and public sector funding. Fontas has major clients across a number of industries, including technology, real estate and nonprofits. Much of Crowley’s work utilizes his knowledge of the city’s budget to assist clients with navigating the creation of the annual spending plan.
71. Whitney Barrat
The Downtown Jamaica Partnership was created as the result of the merger of three business improvement districts in July 2022. Whitney Barrat has been leading the new organization since December 2022. She previously worked at the Lincoln Center Development Project. Last year, Barrat unveiled a new public plaza in front of the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, a grant-funded $100,000 public art project and plans for permanent barriers on 165th Street, which will create space for farmers markets.
72. Ira Goldstein
For over a decade and a half, Ira Goldstein has been at the wheel of The Black Car Fund, which provides workers’ compensation benefits to over 100,000 independent for-hire vehicle drivers in New York. Goldstein, who was previously chief of staff at the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, established a portable driver benefits program in recent years that has been expanded to cover injuries or illnesses that occur while not on the job. Goldstein has also added a hearing care program and broadened its telemedicine coverage.
73. Annetta Seecharran
A Bronx native who has been advocating for marginalized communities since her youth, Annetta Seecharran is the executive director of Chhaya CDC, an organization focused on addressing the housing needs of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities in the city. She is a vocal advocate for accessory dwelling units, emphasizing the possibility for increased affordable housing stock if the secondary residences were to be legalized. Seecharran argued the City of Yes housing proposal will ease the process of legalizing accessory dwelling units.
74. Cedric Dew & La-Vena Francis
Cedric Dew and La-Vena Francis are ensuring that the YMCA remains an invaluable resource in Queens. Dew is the longtime executive director of the Jamaica YMCA, overseeing its service for more than 12,000 members of the community while also providing space for lifeguard training. Dew doubles as the YMCA of Greater New York’s point person on transitional housing, with 1,900 New Yorkers sheltered at six Y branches each year. Francis, who, like Dew, has been with the organization for over two decades, runs the Cross Island YMCA, which is known for prioritizing accessibility, and supports five Y branches across the borough serving some 57,000 residents. Francis became a vice president overseeing Queens facilities in 2022.
75. Lisa Gugenheim
Following an international search, the New York Hall of Science in Corona announced Lisa Gugenheim as its new president and CEO in September. She arrives off a 28-year run with the American Museum of Natural History, including three years as director from 2021 to 2024. Her appointment came in time for the 60th anniversary of the opening of the institution’s Great Hall, which was built for the 1964-65 World’s Fair.
76. Nilbia Coyote
In the face of President Donald Trump’s focus on deportations, the work of the New Immigrant Community Empowerment is as important as ever. Nilbia Coyote has led NICE as its executive director since July 2022 and has been focused on community building in the new year. The organization offers a Pre-Apprenticeship for Life and Work, designed to help immigrant workers enter and succeed in the labor market through building personal and professional skills.
77. Leonard Jacobs & Courtney Ffrench
Opened in 1972, the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning remains a cultural hub as the only member of the city’s public-private Cultural Institutions Group partnership in Southeast Queens. Leonard Jacobs, a former city culture official, and Courtney Ffrench serve as executive director and artistic director, respectively, of the arts center. The institution offers regular programming – including jazz concerts, performances from across the African diaspora and semi-staged readings of new works from playwrights of color. Since the adoption of a new strategic plan in 2024, the center has seen over $1 million in new investment.
78. Udai Tambar
Following stops in government and health administration, Udai Tambar landed at New York Junior Tennis and Learning in August 2021. The organization aims to educate young people through tennis, offering after school programming at 33 sites across the city. He hopes to expand the group’s after-school programs in the coming years to include aligned curricula with student performance data. Mayor Eric Adams appointed Tambar to the city’s Racial Justice Advisory Board in 2023.
79. Kevin Livingston
Kevin Livingston might as well be the patron saint of dressing to impress. He founded 100 Suits for 100 Men with the intention of providing business attire to underserved communities, particularly Southeast Queens. Today, 100 Suits serves as a beacon for empowerment in Southeast Queens and across the five boroughs. In December, Livingston led an event for inmates on Rikers Island aimed at spreading holiday cheer and opening discussions about financial literacy and fatherhood.
80. Albert Suh
The former campaign manager of New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan’s successful 2021 campaign, Albert Suh is now a vice president at Trip Yang Strategies. He was national field director for Korean Americans for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. In Queens last year, he worked with state Democrats to reelect Rep. Tom Suozzi and multiple state legislators. This year, he will be working with the reelection campaigns of New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, along with multiple City Council campaigns.
81. Mohamed Q. Amin
A 20-year resident of Richmond Hill, Mohamed Q. Amin leads his Caribbean Equity Project from the front. He was among the speakers at a rally held in his neighborhood against President Donald Trump and his administration’s anti-immigrant rhetoric in February, pointing to the fact that the administration is not only targeting immigrants, but also members of the LGBTQ+ community, women and nonwhite people. The Caribbean Equity Project will celebrate a decade of advocacy for Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrants this year.
82. Anthony Lemma & Facia Class
Lemma Strategies was founded by Anthony Lemma, a former district director for Rep. Grace Meng, in 2022. He brought fellow Meng alum Facia Class on board later that year. The boutique government relations firm continues to grow its reach. Mets owner Steve Cohen retained Lemma as part of his bid to open a casino next to Citi Field. Other blue-chip clients include the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Delta Air Lines. Class in particular works with many social services nonprofits in their work within the city. In February, Lemma announced the addition of former City Council Member Karen Koslowitz, a former deputy borough president, as senior vice president.
83. Fahd Ahmed
Fahd Ahmed has been involved with Desis Rising Up and Moving since its inception in 2000. DRUM supports its 5,000-person membership in leading social policy change that impacts their lives as people of South Asian or Indo-Caribbean descent. In May, the organization helped organize a walkout of hundreds of students against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Ahmed accused Rep. Grace Meng of not caring about Palestinian, Arab and Muslim constituents during a virtual town hall on the Israel-Hamas war.
84. Tsering Diki
Tsering Diki is a top leader in the borough’s growing Tibetan community, forming strategic alliances as the community grows its political clout. The executive director of the New York Tibetan Service Center, Diki and a coalition of Himalayan and Tibetan organizations partnered with City Council Member Julie Won to pass a law recognizing Losar, the Tibetan New Year, as a holiday in relation to alternate side parking rules. The founder of Diki Daycare Center Group, she has led the creation of a child care group focused on Tibetan values of patience and compassion.
85. William Jourdain
A veteran of the U.S. Army, these days William Jourdain keeps Woodside rolling along. The leader of Woodside on the Move, Jourdain is focused on community action and growth. Woodside on the Move has offered workshops on immigrant rights and clean energy this year, along with the popular Restaurant Week program. Jourdain has worked with New York City Council Member Julie Won and the Department of City Planning on public outreach efforts as part of the development of a new master plan for neighboring Long Island City, addressing land use, housing and economic development.
86. Tiffany Lamela & Al-Hassan Kanu
Following founder Erica Ford’s resignation from the violence prevention organization in April 2024, Tiffany Lamela was handed the reins. Lamela joined the organization following a leadership fellowship at Columbia University. Al-Hassan Kanu, LIFE Camp’s chief operating officer, previously worked as a staffer for state Sen. Leroy Comrie when Comrie was a New York City Council member. He unsuccessfully sought a council seat himself in 2021. LIFE Camp is committed to helping people impacted by violence recover through career stability and development, with a number of programs aimed directly at children. LIFE Camp was awarded one of the state’s first cannabis retail licenses in 2022, allowing for a new revenue stream.
87. Jeanne DuPont
The Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity has been fighting for the community by the coast for 20 years. As part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Invasive Species Grant Program, RISE has formed a “Dune Squad” aimed at clearing dunes of invasive plants and has been looking to expand the team. The work is part of the Greater Rockaway Coastal Resilience plan, which RISE leader Jeanne DuPont initiated in 2020 with support from city, state and federal partners.
88. Marie Torniali
Marie Torniali is the woman that keeps Astoria humming. The executive director of both the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition and the Steinway Astoria Partnership, Torniali sits at the center of the neighborhood’s business, economic and development communities. Last year, she wrapped up a stint as chair of Queens Community Board 1, which encompasses Astoria. Torniali is working with city officials, including New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and City Planning Director Dan Garodnick, on a $12 million project to upgrade the Steinway Street streetscape to address pedestrian safety and foster economic development.
89. James Johnson
A key economic and community leader in Southeast Queens, James Johnson has been executive director of the GatewayJFK Business Improvement District since 2023. He has been working to secure new business growth and community investment for the BID, including a recent $5,000 grant from JFK Terminal 4 to fund new lighting in the commercial corridor. A former City Council candidate, Johnson is a thought leader on neighborhood economic issues and an advocate for a number of community improvements, including parks.
90. Betty Braton
For over a half century, Betty Braton has been involved in community affairs in Howard Beach and Ozone Park, and her work includes boroughwide issues as well. The borough’s longest-serving community board chair, Braton is in her 35th year as chair of Queens Community Board 10, which she first joined in 1979. Braton led the board in offering a detailed analysis of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes proposals, which included a number of conditional approvals. Braton’s civic career has covered hundreds of issues, including casinos, AirTrain, JFK Airport and Jamaica Bay.
91. Kelly Sexton
Kelly Sexton took over as political director of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30 in July, where she manages the union’s political and legislative affairs. Sexton, who contributed to City Council Member Sandra Ung’s successful race in 2021, is focused on building the union’s political program along with enhancing relationships with stakeholders and policymakers to protect apprenticeship training programs. Another key priority for her building coalitions focused on getting the union more involved in the clean energy economy.
92. Nicholas Kapsokavadis
Ponce Bank has come a long way since it was founded by Puerto Rican immigrants in the Bronx back in 1960. Today, the community bank has a much larger footprint – including in Queens, where Senior Vice President of Credit Administration Nicholas Kapsokavadis is a key financial executive. Kapsokavadis, who’s originally from Athens and served in the Greek Army, brings over two decades of experience in the financial sector as he handles crucial functions for Ponce Bank, including overseeing underwriting and loan review as well as managing credit loss models.
93. Bryan Lozano
Tech:NYC is a technology sector advocacy group, and Bryan Lozano, a lifelong Queens resident, leads the philanthropic arm of the organization, the Tech:NYC Foundation. The foundation looks to provide K-12 computer science education and workforce development opportunities to young people interested in tech, including new partnerships with the New York City public schools. Its work with city schools features the largest computer science fair for students citywide. A new initiative is focused on working with nonprofits in the city to incorporate increased technology into their work, including artificial intelligence.
94. Derrick Davis
Derrick Davis is a close ally of state Sen. Leroy Comrie, for whom he works as chief of staff and senior adviser and consults in his capacity as founder and CEO of Bellwether Consulting Strategies. Davis has worked in government for more than two decades. Last year, he worked on the successful reelection campaigns of Comrie and Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman and the successful campaign of Queens Surrogate’s Court Judge Cassandra Johnson.
95. Jamal Wilkerson
The Propel NY Energy project, a joint venture between New York Transco and the New York Power Authority, aims to bolster the state’s electric grid by bringing offshore wind energy to the state’s grid. Jamal Wilkerson joined New York Transco in February 2024 as manager of communications and public affairs. The former district chief of staff for City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams will work with the northeastern Queens community on concerns related to the project. In October, he met with Queens Community Board 11 to hear some of those concerns.
96. Saeeda Dunston
Founded in 1965, Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities comprises community members from East Elmhurst and Corona passionate about meeting the needs of the people around them. Saeeda Dunston has led the organization since 2014, and in 2024 she oversaw its opening of a 30-unit apartment building that provides affordable and supportive housing to people recovering from substance use or mental health issues as well as older adults experiencing unstable housing situations. Elmcor also operates new arrivals shelters for immigrant and asylum-seeking families in Jamaica and Long Island City.
97. Shivani Parikh
Since founding the South Asian Legal Defense Fund in January 2024, Shivani Parikh has continued her service to the people of the city. In September, she started as a housing attorney at Queens Legal Services, where she provides assistance in defenses against evictions, and she is a member of the Language Assistance Advisory Committee for the New York City Civic Engagement Commission. Parikh is a youth forum delegate to the United Nations Economic and Social Council this year, with a goal of creating a U.N. Permanent Forum on People of South Asian Descent.
98. Matthew Silverstein
Matthew Silverstein has made a habit of aiding his community, in his backyard and beyond. He serves as director of public affairs and co-director of the Ticket to Work program at America Works of New York, where he and his team assist anyone receiving SSI or SSDI benefits with finding full-time employment. He also serves as the president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, keeping his community informed on the issues that affect them. He is also the Parks Committee chair for Queens Community Board 7, where he has led efforts for new city park creation.
99. Paul DiBenedetto
A veteran of northeastern Queens civic affairs, Paul DiBenedetto took over as Community Board 11’s chair in 2023. In February, he led a protest against the opening of a cannabis dispensary near a Bayside elementary school. He has been a vocal opponent of Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes proposal, citing concerns in the lack of consultation with local stakeholders. Overdevelopment concerns brought DiBenedetto into civic life and his work has included the Queens County Farm Museum board, the Bayside Historical Society presidency and the PTA presidency at Bayside High School.
100. Frank Wu
Frank Wu has been involved with the Court Square Civic Association since moving to the Long Island City area in 2017. Wu praised City Council Member Julie Won for her efforts to bring together disparate parts of the Long Island City community in the development of the new Long Island City Neighborhood Plan to govern the future of land use and development in the neighborhood. The plan will facilitate the creation of around 14,000 new homes, including at least 4,000 income-restricted affordable homes. Wu also serves as a Queens Community Board 2 member.
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